Degrees / Texas / Associate Degree

Lone Star College - North Harris

Associate Degree in Health Information Management in Houston, TX

CAHIIM Continuing Accreditation Online Enrollment: Active

Program information

Address: 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, Houston, TX, 77060
State: Texas (TX)
Degree level: Associate Degree
Subject area: Health Information Management
Content delivery: Online
Program Director: Debora Butts , EdD, RHIA
Phone: (281) 943-6871
Email: debora.j.butts@lonestar.edu
Last accreditation date: 12/14/2017
Next review cycle: 2027-2028
Progress report status: Progress Report satisfactory and completed

What this means

Lone Star College - North Harris is accredited and your degree counts.

Because Lone Star College - North Harris 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 Texas picture

Where Lone Star College - North Harris sits among Texas's 26 CAHIIM-accredited programs.

Texas has 26 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 21 of them at the associate degree level. 25 of the 26 offer online delivery, and this one is fully online.

We score every Texas program on a seven-factor methodology covering accreditation maturity, director credentials, pathways, delivery, employer pipeline, cost, and reputation. See how Lone Star College - North Harris compares in our ranking of the best HIM programs in Texas, or browse all 5 accredited programs in Houston.

TX programs

At this level

Online capable

17,210

HIM jobs in TX

What the work pays

Medical records specialist pay in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro.

The occupation most RHIT-track graduates enter is Medical Records Specialist (SOC 29-2072). In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro the median is $48,860 a year, 4% below the national median. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro

Median annual: $48,860

National (for reference)

Median annual: $51,140
Texas state median: $48,860
90th percentile: $81,150

Accreditation history

Recent CAHIIM actions on this program

August 2017

Grant 10 years of Initial Accreditation with a Progress Report. The program remains non-compliant with the following Standards: The following Standards are Partially Met: Standard 8. Communities of Interest. Employer satisfaction with graduates is appropriate under standard #7. The intent of the Communities of Interest goal is to identify ways to give back to the community such as providing CEU opportunities by the program or other methods of outreach to the HIM community. Standard 24. The Curri

Source: CAHIIM Program Directory listing for Lone Star College - North Harris. Refreshed quarterly.

FAQ

Lone Star College - North Harris HIM program: common questions.

Is the Lone Star College - North Harris health information management program CAHIIM-accredited?

Yes. The associate degree in Health Information Management at Lone Star College - North Harris holds Continuing accreditation from CAHIIM, most recently affirmed 12/14/2017, with its next review scheduled for the 2027-2028 cycle.

Does Lone Star College - North Harris 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 Lone Star College - North Harris program online?

Yes. CAHIIM lists this program as fully online, so you can complete it from anywhere in Texas or out of state.

What do medical records specialists earn in Houston?

Medical records specialists in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro earn a median of $48,860 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025), 4% below the national median. The national median is $51,140.

How many CAHIIM-accredited programs are in Texas?

Texas has 26 active CAHIIM-accredited programs, 21 at the associate degree level. 25 of them offer online delivery. See our full Texas ranking for how they compare.

Keep going

Next steps.

Best HIM programs in Texas, ranked

How Lone Star College - North Harris 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 Texas

Other CAHIIM-accredited programs in Texas

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 Lone Star College - North Harris, last refreshed May 13, 2026, and BLS OEWS May 2025. Accreditation status can change between refreshes. Always verify directly with CAHIIM before enrolling.