The top 10 percent of all certified U.S. medical coders earned over $55,170 per year, according to May 2011 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These technicians convert doctors' diagnoses and procedures into specific codes. They are responsible for pulling patients' records when needed, and serving as liaisons between health facilities and billing offices.
Average Income and Benefits
Certified medical coders earned average annual incomes of $25,920, according to the BLS. The lowest 10 percent made less than $21,680 per year. Eighty-five percent of these workers are employed full time, according to the BLS. Besides their salaries, they receive comprehensive benefits such as medical, dental and life insurance, paid time off, flex time, education reimbursement and retirement plans, according to the American Health Information Management Association.
Income by Industry
A certified medical coder's income can vary considerably by industry. They earned some of the highest salaries of $46,290 per year working for the federal government, according to the BLS. Those who worked for insurance carriers made $44,110 per year; and they made $37,960 annually as employees of general and surgical hospitals. Their salaries were below the national average in physicians' offices, at $30,120 per year.
Income by State
Certified medical coders made the highest incomes of $51,850 per year working in New Jersey, according to the BLS. They also made above-average incomes of $44,620 per year in the District of Columbia. Their salaries were closer to the national average in Arizona and Texas: $37,000 and $32,250 per year, respectively. And these medical technicians made only $31,800 in the more sparsely-populated state of Montana.
Education and Training
Employers usually prefer hiring medical coders who are certified. Therefore, most of them get certified before starting their jobs. Many of these medical workers may also have associates' degrees in health information technology. While in college or certified training programs, they take courses in anatomy, physiology, classification and coding, and health care statistics, according to the BLS.
The BLS reports that the number of jobs for certified medical coders is expected to increase 21 percent between 2010 and 2012. This rate of growth is considered faster than the national average of 14 percent for all occupations. An aging population will drive much of the job growth, as older people need more medical tests and treatments. Health-care facilities are also converting more paper records to electronic formats. Additional certified medical coders will be needed to execute this work.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
- Education-Portal.com: Medical Coding Specialist: Job Description and Requirements
- AHMA: Medical Coding Profession
- AHIMA: Benefits
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