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Medical Records Specialists Salary
Medical Records Specialists earn a median $51,140 a year in the U.S., with 194,720 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $51,140 a year
- Employment
- 194,720
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +7.8%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 14,000
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $51,140 · $24.59 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $56,790 · $27.30 an hour (estimate error ±0.4%)
- 10th percentile
- $37,000 · $17.79 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $43,490 · $20.91 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $64,820 · $31.17 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $81,150 · $39.01 an hour
- Employment
- 194,720 (estimate error ±1.1%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
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. Excludes “Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars” (29-9021) and “File Clerks” (43-4071).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 200,700
- Projected for 2035
- 216,300
- Change
- +15,600 (+7.8%)
- Openings each year
- 14,000
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 1.0%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $72,040 | 270 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $63,960 | 650 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $63,180 | 400 |
| 4 | Washington | $62,270 | 5,010 |
| 5 | California | $61,810 | 18,700 |
| 6 | New York | $61,720 | 9,080 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $61,530 | 3,150 |
| 8 | Alaska | $61,090 | 1,070 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $60,940 | 1,120 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $60,350 | 3,500 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 21,490 | $45,760 |
| California | 18,700 | $61,810 |
| Texas | 17,210 | $48,860 |
| New York | 9,080 | $61,720 |
| Ohio | 7,440 | $50,990 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,970 | $46,840 |
| North Carolina | 6,760 | $49,620 |
| Georgia | 5,930 | $51,550 |
| Indiana | 5,860 | $47,670 |
| Illinois | 5,740 | $56,440 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $86,890 | 920 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $82,230 | 130 |
| 3 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $75,150 | 1,340 |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $74,400 | 1,880 |
| 5 | New Haven, CT | $67,290 | 220 |
| 6 | Iowa City, IA | $66,340 | 330 |
| 7 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $65,730 | 750 |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,530 | 2,830 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $65,220 | 310 |
| 10 | Corvallis, OR | $64,450 | 100 |
| 11 | Appleton, WI | $63,510 | 100 |
| 12 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $63,360 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 8,090 | $61,190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,240 | $59,110 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,210 | $52,140 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,530 | $49,010 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,510 | $57,970 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,680 | $51,250 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,260 | $49,700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,830 | $65,530 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,790 | $58,950 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,630 | $60,460 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,480 | $47,450 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2,450 | $50,020 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)12 certified filingsMedian offered wage $65,000
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)4 certified filingsMedian offered wage $54,891
Medical Records Specialists pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists
- Medical Dosimetrists
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Paramedics
- Dietetic Technicians
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Psychiatric Technicians
Frequently asked questions
- How much do medical records specialists make?
- The median wage for medical records specialists in the U.S. is $51,140 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,490 and $64,820.
- Which state pays medical records specialists the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median wage for this occupation at $72,040 a year.
- What is the job outlook for medical records specialists?
- BLS projects employment to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,000 openings each year on average.
- What education do medical records specialists need?
- The typical entry-level education is: postsecondary nondegree award.