Medical Records Specialists
Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072) earn a median $51,140 a year ($24.59 an hour) in the United States, with 194,720 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What medical records specialists do
Medical records specialists compile, process and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal and regulatory requirements. They also classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnoses, procedures, medical services and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system, and the SOC includes medical coders in this code. Coders read the documentation in a record and translate it into standard codes, while other specialists work with the completeness and handling of the records. O*NET alternate titles such as certified coding specialist, certified professional coder, fee coder, electronic health records specialist and clinical documentation specialist show how varied the roles are. The packet has no task list or education data for this code, so the description of daily work stays general. The SOC excludes health information technologists and medical registrars, who have their own code, and file clerks, who are coded with office clerks. Work of this kind involves close attention to detail because the records serve medical, administrative and legal purposes at once.
Also called: Certified Coding Specialist, Certified Medical Coder, Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Clinical Documentation Specialist, Clinical Office Technician (Clinical Office Tech).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.79 | $20.91 | $24.59 | $31.17 | $39.01 | $27.30 | 194,720 |
| Annual | $37,000 | $43,490 | $51,140 | $64,820 | $81,150 | $56,790 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where medical records specialists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $22.26 | $26.80 | $34.63 | $47.63 | $61.55 | $38.58 | 270 | 0.38 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $46,300 | $55,750 | $72,040 | $99,060 | $128,010 | $80,250 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $21.46 | $24.54 | $30.75 | $34.09 | $40.65 | $30.36 | 650 | 1.30 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $44,650 | $51,040 | $63,960 | $70,910 | $84,540 | $63,150 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $21.97 | $24.36 | $30.37 | $37.49 | $44.06 | $31.53 | 400 | 0.64 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $45,700 | $50,670 | $63,180 | $77,970 | $91,650 | $65,590 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.87 | $24.16 | $29.94 | $38.31 | $47.18 | $32.44 | 5,010 | 1.41 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $45,500 | $50,250 | $62,270 | $79,680 | $98,130 | $67,480 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.06 | $23.56 | $29.71 | $38.76 | $49.27 | $32.80 | 18,700 | 1.03 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $43,800 | $49,000 | $61,810 | $80,630 | $102,470 | $68,230 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.46 | $17.98 | $22.00 | $28.48 | $36.95 | $24.25 | 21,490 | 2.16 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $36,330 | $37,390 | $45,760 | $59,230 | $76,850 | $50,440 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.06 | $23.56 | $29.71 | $38.76 | $49.27 | $32.80 | 18,700 | 1.03 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $43,800 | $49,000 | $61,810 | $80,630 | $102,470 | $68,230 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.56 | $18.98 | $23.49 | $30.76 | $37.69 | $25.42 | 17,210 | 1.22 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $34,440 | $39,470 | $48,860 | $63,970 | $78,390 | $52,880 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $19.58 | $23.56 | $29.67 | $38.04 | $49.01 | $32.31 | 9,080 | 0.94 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $40,730 | $49,010 | $61,720 | $79,120 | $101,940 | $67,200 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $18.30 | $21.88 | $24.52 | $30.54 | $38.12 | $27.22 | 7,440 | 1.34 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $38,060 | $45,500 | $50,990 | $63,510 | $79,290 | $56,620 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $26.65 | $30.66 | $41.78 | $59.23 | $72.84 | $46.84 | 920 | 0.81 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $55,430 | $63,760 | $86,890 | $123,190 | $151,520 | $97,430 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $22.38 | $28.01 | $39.53 | $39.53 | $39.79 | $34.33 | 130 | 0.90 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $46,550 | $58,250 | $82,230 | $82,230 | $82,750 | $71,410 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $22.82 | $27.18 | $36.13 | $42.60 | $51.21 | $36.59 | 1,340 | 1.24 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $47,470 | $56,530 | $75,150 | $88,610 | $106,510 | $76,110 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $23.81 | $27.82 | $35.77 | $41.72 | $51.67 | $36.33 | 1,880 | 0.79 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $49,520 | $57,870 | $74,400 | $86,780 | $107,470 | $75,570 | ||||
| New Haven, CT | Hourly | $22.29 | $24.35 | $32.35 | $39.43 | $51.11 | $34.81 | 220 | 0.79 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $46,370 | $50,650 | $67,290 | $82,020 | $106,320 | $72,410 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.14 | $22.55 | $29.42 | $38.99 | $49.33 | $32.21 | 8,090 | 0.85 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $35,640 | $46,900 | $61,190 | $81,090 | $102,600 | $66,990 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $20.06 | $23.03 | $28.42 | $38.76 | $48.70 | $31.64 | 7,240 | 1.16 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $41,710 | $47,900 | $59,110 | $80,630 | $101,290 | $65,810 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.25 | $21.98 | $25.07 | $32.08 | $38.55 | $27.42 | 5,210 | 1.29 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $37,950 | $45,710 | $52,140 | $66,720 | $80,190 | $57,030 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.74 | $20.75 | $23.56 | $29.53 | $38.01 | $25.94 | 4,530 | 1.61 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $36,910 | $43,160 | $49,010 | $61,420 | $79,070 | $53,960 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $19.93 | $22.96 | $27.87 | $31.49 | $37.72 | $28.53 | 4,510 | 1.00 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $41,460 | $47,750 | $57,970 | $65,490 | $78,470 | $59,350 | ||||
Top industries employing medical records specialists
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 26.6% of medical records specialists nationally (51,740 jobs) at a median $59,460 a year ($28.59 an hour), followed by Offices of Physicians (17.9%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (7.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 51,740 | 26.6% | $59,460 | $28.59 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 34,860 | 17.9% | $47,120 | $22.66 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 14,870 | 7.6% | $60,980 | $29.32 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 9,790 | 5.0% | $46,940 | $22.57 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 9,610 | 4.9% | $43,880 | $21.09 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (194,720). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,660 for medical records specialists in May 2021 and $51,140 in May 2025, with employment of 180,570 and 194,720.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,660 | $22.43 | 180,570 |
| May 2022 | $47,180 | $22.69 | 187,720 |
| May 2023 | $48,780 | $23.45 | 185,690 |
| May 2024 | $50,250 | $24.16 | 187,910 |
| May 2025 | $51,140 | $24.59 | 194,720 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $34.63 | $72,040 | $46,300 | $128,010 | 270 | 0.38 | 0.30 |
| 2 | Rhode Island profile | $30.75 | $63,960 | $44,650 | $84,540 | 650 | 1.30 | 1.03 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $30.37 | $63,180 | $45,700 | $91,650 | 400 | 0.64 | 0.51 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $29.94 | $62,270 | $45,500 | $98,130 | 5,010 | 1.41 | 1.13 |
| 5 | California profile | $29.71 | $61,810 | $43,800 | $102,470 | 18,700 | 1.03 | 0.82 |
| 6 | New York profile | $29.67 | $61,720 | $40,730 | $101,940 | 9,080 | 0.94 | 0.75 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $29.58 | $61,530 | $48,120 | $83,020 | 3,150 | 1.07 | 0.85 |
| 8 | Alaska profile | $29.37 | $61,090 | $46,390 | $90,530 | 1,070 | 3.30 | 2.64 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $29.30 | $60,940 | $40,490 | $88,900 | 1,120 | 0.66 | 0.53 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $29.02 | $60,350 | $43,960 | $81,620 | 3,500 | 0.96 | 0.77 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $28.98 | $60,280 | $46,750 | $79,720 | 2,870 | 0.98 | 0.78 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $28.37 | $59,020 | $45,280 | $82,980 | 1,780 | 0.62 | 0.49 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $28.37 | $59,000 | $44,260 | $81,120 | 2,560 | 1.30 | 1.04 |
| 14 | Vermont profile | $27.67 | $57,560 | $42,130 | $77,580 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | New Mexico profile | $27.63 | $57,470 | $36,600 | $76,460 | 1,400 | 1.61 | 1.28 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $27.14 | $56,440 | $38,890 | $77,520 | 5,740 | 0.94 | 0.75 |
| 17 | Delaware profile | $26.95 | $56,060 | $36,870 | $77,500 | 610 | 1.27 | 1.01 |
| 18 | South Carolina profile | $26.10 | $54,280 | $37,240 | $71,280 | 2,750 | 1.19 | 0.95 |
| 19 | Maryland profile | $26.07 | $54,220 | $35,400 | $82,090 | 2,440 | 0.88 | 0.71 |
| 20 | Wyoming profile | $26.06 | $54,210 | $37,930 | $79,530 | 280 | 0.99 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Idaho profile | $25.70 | $53,460 | $39,930 | $77,840 | 1,490 | 1.74 | 1.39 |
| 22 | Oklahoma profile | $25.70 | $53,460 | $36,610 | $74,710 | 2,480 | 1.45 | 1.16 |
| 23 | Virginia profile | $25.62 | $53,290 | $37,630 | $78,680 | 4,630 | 1.13 | 0.90 |
| 24 | Utah profile | $25.42 | $52,870 | $35,720 | $82,640 | 1,910 | 1.10 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $25.04 | $52,090 | $42,210 | $76,660 | 1,000 | 1.57 | 1.25 |
| 26 | Nebraska profile | $24.84 | $51,670 | $38,620 | $74,990 | 1,640 | 1.60 | 1.28 |
| 27 | South Dakota profile | $24.81 | $51,610 | $36,920 | $76,950 | 900 | 1.96 | 1.57 |
| 28 | Georgia profile | $24.78 | $51,550 | $36,260 | $81,580 | 5,930 | 1.21 | 0.97 |
| 29 | Ohio profile | $24.52 | $50,990 | $38,060 | $79,290 | 7,440 | 1.34 | 1.07 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $24.40 | $50,750 | $38,880 | $77,010 | 3,890 | 1.33 | 1.06 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $24.35 | $50,640 | $38,910 | $66,390 | 2,250 | 1.44 | 1.15 |
| 32 | Nevada profile | $24.19 | $50,300 | $36,990 | $81,140 | 2,350 | 1.51 | 1.21 |
| 33 | New Jersey profile | $24.16 | $50,240 | $33,280 | $83,650 | 4,450 | 1.04 | 0.83 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $24.13 | $50,190 | $40,460 | $64,540 | 820 | 1.60 | 1.27 |
| 35 | North Carolina profile | $23.86 | $49,620 | $36,840 | $79,670 | 6,760 | 1.37 | 1.09 |
| 36 | New Hampshire profile | $23.66 | $49,210 | $39,120 | $68,980 | 930 | 1.36 | 1.09 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $23.49 | $48,860 | $34,440 | $78,390 | 17,210 | 1.22 | 0.98 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $23.45 | $48,780 | $37,320 | $79,960 | 4,440 | 1.35 | 1.08 |
| 39 | Kentucky profile | $23.28 | $48,410 | $36,290 | $74,520 | 4,210 | 2.10 | 1.68 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $23.15 | $48,160 | $36,680 | $77,910 | 2,030 | 1.41 | 1.13 |
| 41 | Michigan profile | $23.13 | $48,120 | $37,180 | $77,080 | 4,890 | 1.11 | 0.89 |
| 42 | Indiana profile | $22.92 | $47,670 | $38,270 | $79,270 | 5,860 | 1.83 | 1.46 |
| 43 | Arizona profile | $22.90 | $47,630 | $36,530 | $75,430 | 3,750 | 1.16 | 0.93 |
| 44 | West Virginia profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $31,610 | $75,000 | 1,260 | 1.80 | 1.43 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.52 | $46,840 | $37,490 | $77,880 | 6,970 | 1.15 | 0.92 |
| 46 | North Dakota profile | $22.25 | $46,280 | $39,580 | $79,800 | 520 | 1.22 | 0.98 |
| 47 | Florida profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $36,330 | $76,850 | 21,490 | 2.16 | 1.73 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $21.45 | $44,610 | $32,900 | $77,080 | 2,600 | 1.35 | 1.07 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $21.06 | $43,810 | $30,250 | $64,730 | 2,330 | 1.10 | 0.88 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $20.07 | $41,740 | $33,920 | $65,090 | 1,920 | 1.47 | 1.18 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $19.95 | $41,500 | $31,010 | $61,580 | 2,310 | 1.98 | 1.58 |
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-2072 Medical Records Specialists.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-2072, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-2072.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.