Medical Coder Salary by State
BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS occupation: SOC 29-2072 Medical Records Specialists
Medical Coders earned a median $51,140 a year ($24.59 an hour) in May 2025 (SOC 29-2072 Medical Records Specialists).
The middle half earned between $43,490 and $64,820.
BLS counts medical coders in medical records specialists, an occupation that also includes records staff who do not code.
Annual figures are BLS hourly wages × 2,080 hours. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only, so it leaves out the self-employed (including freelance billers and coders and billing company owners), workers in private households, overtime pay and most bonuses.
How pay spreads across Medical Records Specialists
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,000 | $17.79 |
| 25th | $43,490 | $20.91 |
| 50th (median) | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| 75th | $64,820 | $31.17 |
| 90th | $81,150 | $39.01 |
| Mean (average) | $56,790 | $27.30 |
SOC 29-2072 Medical Records Specialists: 194,720 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Medical Coder Salary by State
Median annual wage for SOC 29-2072 Medical Records Specialists in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $51,140; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,810 | $21.06 | $30,250–$64,730 | 2,330 | −14% |
| Alaska | $61,090 | $29.37 | $46,390–$90,530 | 1,070 | +19% |
| Arizona | $47,630 | $22.90 | $36,530–$75,430 | 3,750 | −7% |
| Arkansas | $41,740 | $20.07 | $33,920–$65,090 | 1,920 | −18% |
| California | $61,810 | $29.71 | $43,800–$102,470 | 18,700 | +21% |
| Colorado | $59,020 | $28.37 | $45,280–$82,980 | 1,780 | +15% |
| Connecticut | $60,940 | $29.30 | $40,490–$88,900 | 1,120 | +19% |
| Delaware | $56,060 | $26.95 | $36,870–$77,500 | 610 | +10% |
| District of Columbia | $72,040 | $34.63 | $46,300–$128,010 | 270 | +41% |
| Florida | $45,760 | $22.00 | $36,330–$76,850 | 21,490 | −11% |
| Georgia | $51,550 | $24.78 | $36,260–$81,580 | 5,930 | +1% |
| Hawaii | $63,180 | $30.37 | $45,700–$91,650 | 400 | +24% |
| Idaho | $53,460 | $25.70 | $39,930–$77,840 | 1,490 | +5% |
| Illinois | $56,440 | $27.14 | $38,890–$77,520 | 5,740 | +10% |
| Indiana | $47,670 | $22.92 | $38,270–$79,270 | 5,860 | −7% |
| Iowa | $50,640 | $24.35 | $38,910–$66,390 | 2,250 | −1% |
| Kansas | $48,160 | $23.15 | $36,680–$77,910 | 2,030 | −6% |
| Kentucky | $48,410 | $23.28 | $36,290–$74,520 | 4,210 | −5% |
| Louisiana | $44,610 | $21.45 | $32,900–$77,080 | 2,600 | −13% |
| Maine | $52,090 | $25.04 | $42,210–$76,660 | 1,000 | +2% |
| Maryland | $54,220 | $26.07 | $35,400–$82,090 | 2,440 | +6% |
| Massachusetts | $60,350 | $29.02 | $43,960–$81,620 | 3,500 | +18% |
| Michigan | $48,120 | $23.13 | $37,180–$77,080 | 4,890 | −6% |
| Minnesota | $61,530 | $29.58 | $48,120–$83,020 | 3,150 | +20% |
| Mississippi | $41,500 | $19.95 | $31,010–$61,580 | 2,310 | −19% |
| Missouri | $50,750 | $24.40 | $38,880–$77,010 | 3,890 | −1% |
| Montana | $50,190 | $24.13 | $40,460–$64,540 | 820 | −2% |
| Nebraska | $51,670 | $24.84 | $38,620–$74,990 | 1,640 | +1% |
| Nevada | $50,300 | $24.19 | $36,990–$81,140 | 2,350 | −2% |
| New Hampshire | $49,210 | $23.66 | $39,120–$68,980 | 930 | −4% |
| New Jersey | $50,240 | $24.16 | $33,280–$83,650 | 4,450 | −2% |
| New Mexico | $57,470 | $27.63 | $36,600–$76,460 | 1,400 | +12% |
| New York | $61,720 | $29.67 | $40,730–$101,940 | 9,080 | +21% |
| North Carolina | $49,620 | $23.86 | $36,840–$79,670 | 6,760 | −3% |
| North Dakota | $46,280 | $22.25 | $39,580–$79,800 | 520 | −10% |
| Ohio | $50,990 | $24.52 | $38,060–$79,290 | 7,440 | −0% |
| Oklahoma | $53,460 | $25.70 | $36,610–$74,710 | 2,480 | +5% |
| Oregon | $59,000 | $28.37 | $44,260–$81,120 | 2,560 | +15% |
| Pennsylvania | $46,840 | $22.52 | $37,490–$77,880 | 6,970 | −8% |
| Rhode Island | $63,960 | $30.75 | $44,650–$84,540 | 650 | +25% |
| South Carolina | $54,280 | $26.10 | $37,240–$71,280 | 2,750 | +6% |
| South Dakota | $51,610 | $24.81 | $36,920–$76,950 | 900 | +1% |
| Tennessee | $48,780 | $23.45 | $37,320–$79,960 | 4,440 | −5% |
| Texas | $48,860 | $23.49 | $34,440–$78,390 | 17,210 | −4% |
| Utah | $52,870 | $25.42 | $35,720–$82,640 | 1,910 | +3% |
| Vermont | $57,560 | $27.67 | $42,130–$77,580 | Not published | +13% |
| Virginia | $53,290 | $25.62 | $37,630–$78,680 | 4,630 | +4% |
| Washington | $62,270 | $29.94 | $45,500–$98,130 | 5,010 | +22% |
| West Virginia | $47,360 | $22.77 | $31,610–$75,000 | 1,260 | −7% |
| Wisconsin | $60,280 | $28.98 | $46,750–$79,720 | 2,870 | +18% |
| Wyoming | $54,210 | $26.06 | $37,930–$79,530 | 280 | +6% |
Pay by medical billing and coding role
BLS publishes wages by occupation, not job title.
Medical coders match a BLS occupation, medical records specialists.
Medical billers are counted in billing and posting clerks, a broader occupation that spans every industry.
The other titles sit inside a broader occupation or borrow the closest available one, labelled in the last column.
Compare figures with the same basis only.
| Role | Median shown | What the number is |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Billing and Coding Specialist | $51,140 | Closest available occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Medical Coder | $51,140 | BLS occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Inpatient Coder | $51,140 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Outpatient Coder | $51,140 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Surgery Coder | $51,140 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Risk Adjustment Coder | $51,140 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Coding Auditor | $51,140 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 29-2072) |
| Coding Manager | $123,860 | Closest available occupation (SOC 11-9111) |
| CDI Specialist | $68,020 | Closest available occupation (SOC 29-9021) |
| Health Information Technician | $68,020 | Closest available occupation (SOC 29-9021) |
| Medical Biller | $48,500 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 43-3021) |
| Medical Billing Manager | $123,860 | Closest available occupation (SOC 11-9111) |
| Revenue Cycle Specialist | $48,500 | Closest available occupation (SOC 43-3021) |
| Revenue Cycle Manager | $123,860 | Closest available occupation (SOC 11-9111) |
| Prior Authorization Specialist | $49,230 | Closest available occupation (weak match) (SOC 43-9041) |
| Insurance Verification Specialist | $49,230 | Closest available occupation (weak match) (SOC 43-9041) |
| Patient Account Representative | $48,500 | Closest available occupation (SOC 43-3021) |
| Denial Management Specialist | $48,500 | Closest available occupation (SOC 43-3021) |
| Payment Poster | $48,500 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 43-3021) |
| Charge Entry Specialist | $48,500 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 43-3021) |
| Medical Claims Processor | $49,230 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 43-9041) |
Medical Coder salary questions
01How much do medical coders make a year?
The median annual wage for medical records specialists (SOC 29-2072) was $51,140 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS).
Half earned more and half earned less.
The 10th percentile was $37,000 and the 90th percentile $81,150.
02How much do medical coders make an hour?
The median hourly wage for medical records specialists was $24.59 in May 2025.
BLS converts between hourly and annual figures at 2,080 hours a year, so this is the same median per hour, before overtime or bonuses.
03Which state pays medical records specialists the most?
District of Columbia had the highest median in May 2025 at $72,040.
Mississippi had the lowest at $41,500.
These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average medical coder salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for medical records specialists was $56,790 in May 2025, against a $51,140 median.
The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
05Does BLS publish pay for medical coders alone?
No. BLS counts medical coders in medical records specialists (SOC 29-2072), an occupation that also includes records staff who do not code.
BLS publishes no separate figure for inpatient, outpatient, surgery or risk adjustment coders, and none by credential.
06Does this include freelance and contract coders?
No. OEWS counts wage-and-salary workers only, so self-employed and freelance coders are not in these figures.
BLS publishes no contract or per-chart coding rate, and this page does not estimate one.