Oakton College

Associate Degree in Health Information Management in Des Plaines, IL

CAHIIM Continuing Accreditation Campus Based, Online Enrollment: Active

Program information

Address: 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL, 60016
State: Illinois (IL)
Degree level: Associate Degree
Subject area: Health Information Management
Content delivery: Campus Based, Online
Program Director: Hanna Wierzchowski , DDS, RHIA, COC, CPC
Phone: (847) 635-1695
Email: hwierzchowski@oakton.edu
Last accreditation date: 03/26/2020
Next review cycle: 2027-2028
Progress report status: Progress Report satisfactory and completed

Our take

The north Chicago suburbs’ AAS, on campus in Des Plaines or online.

Oakton’s HIM associate degree holds Continuing CAHIIM accreditation with its next review in 2027-2028 and runs both on campus and online. Director Hanna Wierzchowski holds a DDS plus the RHIA, COC, and CPC, another program led by a clinician who moved into health information, which shows up in how documentation and coding get taught.

Des Plaines puts you in the middle of the north suburban Chicago hospital corridor: Advocate Lutheran General in Park Ridge, Endeavor Health’s hospitals in Evanston and the North Shore, and the broader Chicago metro market of 3,000+ medical records specialists. Community-college district tuition keeps the price at the bottom of the Illinois market.

What this means

Oakton College is accredited and your degree counts.

Because Oakton College holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, graduates of this associate degree are eligible to sit for AHIMA's RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) exam. That eligibility is the whole reason CAHIIM accreditation matters: without a CAHIIM-accredited degree, the exam is closed to you.

"Continuing Accreditation" is the standard status for established programs. The next scheduled review is 2027-2028.

The Illinois picture

Where Oakton College sits among Illinois's 22 CAHIIM-accredited programs.

Illinois has 22 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 15 of them at the associate degree level. 19 of the 22 offer online delivery, and this one is available online or on campus.

We score every Illinois program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how Oakton College compares in our ranking of the best HIM programs in Illinois.

IL programs

At this level

Online capable

5,740

HIM jobs in IL

What the work pays

Medical records specialist pay in Illinois.

The occupation most RHIT-track graduates enter is Medical Records Specialist (SOC 29-2072). In Illinois the median is $56,440 a year, 10% above the national median. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Illinois

Median annual: $56,440
10th percentile: $38,890
90th percentile: $77,520
Employed: 5,740

National (for reference)

Median annual: $51,140
90th percentile: $81,150

FAQ

Oakton College HIM program: common questions.

Is the Oakton College health information management program CAHIIM-accredited?

Yes. The associate degree in Health Information Management at Oakton College holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, most recently affirmed 03/26/2020, with its next review scheduled for the 2027-2028 cycle.

Does Oakton College qualify me to sit for the RHIT exam?

Yes. Graduating from this CAHIIM-accredited associate degree makes you eligible for AHIMA's RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) exam. CAHIIM accreditation is the eligibility gate; without it the exam is not available to you.

Is the Oakton College program online?

Partly. CAHIIM lists delivery as Campus Based, Online, so you can take it on campus in Des Plaines or online.

What do medical records specialists earn in Illinois?

Medical records specialists in the Illinois earn a median of $56,440 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025), 10% above the national median. The national median is $51,140.

How many CAHIIM-accredited programs are in Illinois?

Illinois has 22 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 15 at the associate degree level. 19 of them offer online delivery. See our full Illinois ranking for how they compare.

Keep going

Next steps.

Best HIM programs in Illinois, ranked

How Oakton College stacks up on our seven-factor methodology.

Associate degree in HIM guide

Curriculum, cost, and what the degree actually gets you.

RHIT certification guide

The exam this degree qualifies you for: structure, prep, wage impact.

Also in Illinois

Other CAHIIM-accredited programs in Illinois

Same degree level

Other associate degree programs in health information management

Data on this page is sourced from the official CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Oakton College, last refreshed May 13, 2026, and BLS OEWS May 2025. Accreditation status can change between refreshes. Always verify directly with CAHIIM before enrolling.