Medical Records Specialists earn $51,140 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $43,490 and $64,820. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a medical records specialists: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Health Administration and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.
Also known as:
Most medical records specialists take home around $51,140 a year, below what most graduates with a bachelor's make. Half earn somewhere between $43,490 and $64,820, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +7.8%, meaning it is growing at about the same pace as everything else, so expect steady demand. Around 14,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
The five states below employ the most Medical Records Specialists professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $51,140 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 21,490 | $45,760 | -10.5% |
| 2 | California | 18,700 | $61,810 | +20.9% |
| 3 | Texas | 17,210 | $48,860 | -4.5% |
| 4 | New York | 9,080 | $61,720 | +20.7% |
| 5 | Ohio | 7,440 | $50,990 | -0.3% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
To get hired here you will usually need a postsecondary nondegree award. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Administration | 85,302 | $58,716 | 1,975 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 3 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 4 | North Florida College Madison, FL | 91 | $804 | $33,929 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 90 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
Once you've sized up Medical Records Specialists, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Medical Records Specialists pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Medical Records Specialists shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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