Average Medical Billing and Coding Salary
According to reports from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average median salary for medical billers is around US$ 44,090 per year.
This is about US$ 21.20 per hour. Several things can affect the specific salary of medical billing and coding professionals.
According to the AAPC, certified medical coders can earn as much as 33% more than non-certified professionals.
If you are considering a career as a medical billing and coding technician, then you’ve come to the right place.
This article details the responsibilities of medical billers and coders. This article also details the average annual salaries for such technicians in all 50 states and some major cities.
Before we dive into the medical billing and coding salary details, let’s take a quick look at the responsibilities of medical coding and medical billing professionals first.
Which states and cities offer the highest Medical Billing and Coding Salary?
What is Medical Coding?
If you don’t know, medical coding relates to taking medical terminology and information to convert it into a universally understood language.
This is a way to streamline collaboration between healthcare providers and insurance companies.
There is an established alphanumeric code that is used by medical coders. This language is applied by medical coding professionals to diagnose, processes, medical equipment and medical services.
Medical coding is important for the industry because it:
- Streamlines the medical billing procedure
- Develops universally understood language for medical professionals and facilities
- Assists researchers in tracking health trends and analyzing treatments
What is Medical Billing?
Medical billing involves collecting payments for healthcare services provided by the hospital. This includes combining coded information into an invoice.
They send the invoice to the payers or insurance providers. These professionals are also responsible for collecting payments.
Often, people mix up Medical Coding and Medical Billing. Here’s the main difference between the two:
Medical Coders – Review medical data and allot proper standardized code required for billing purposes.
Medical Billers – Collect patient information, combine it, prepare claims for insurance companies and create invoices for patients. This usually involves collaborating with medical service providers, insurance companies and patients alike.
What are the Medical Billing and Medical Coding Salary?
Several factors influence the salaries of medical coders and medical billers in the US. Specialization, location, certification, workplace type and experience are major factors.
Taking these factors into account, the US BLS found that the average median salary for medical billing and coding is around US$ 44,090 per year or about US$ 21.20 per hour.
According to reports by the AAPC, non-certified medical coders can earn as much as US$ 42,015 per year.
On the other hand, certified medical coders can earn up to 33% more, around US$ 55,920 per year.
If you add another certification, this increases the average annual salary to around US$ 64,890.
More certifications are likely to increase the annual salary of medical coding and billing professionals to around US$ 70,600.
Apart from the salary, certified medical billing and coding professionals also receive several benefits. These may include paid time off, insurance, tuition reimbursement, sick leave and much more.
Which states and cities offer the highest Medical Billing and Coding Salary?
According to BLS reports, these are the 5 states with the highest average salary for medical billing and coding professionals:
District of Columbia – US$ 60,530 (annual) / US$ 29.10 (hourly)
Alaska – US$ 58,620 (annual) / US$ 28.18 (hourly)
Washington – US$ 56,890 (annual) / US$ 27.35 (hourly)
Massachusetts – US$ 56,650 (annual) / US$ 27.23 (hourly)
Minnesota – US$ 55,450 (annual) / US$ 26.66 (hourly)
The BLS report also ranks the below-given US cities with the highest medical billing and coding salary:
Kokomo (Indiana) – US$ 71,470 (annual) / US$ 34.36 (hourly)
Trenton (New Jersey) – US$ 70,430 (annual) / US$ 33.86 (hourly)
Kennewick/Richland (Washington) – US$ 67,560 (annual) / US$ 32.48 (hourly)
Vallejo-Fairfield (California) – US$ 65,080 (annual) / US$ 31.29 (hourly)
Corvallis (Oregon) – US$ 64,770 (annual) / US$ 31.14 (hourly)
How Medical Billing and Coding Salary is Decided State Wise?
Every US state has its unique economy, cost of living and average annual salary. Location is one of the greatest factors that influence these salaries.
Let’s take a detailed look at the medical billing and coding salaries in different states in the US:
| STATE | AVERAGE SALARY |
|---|---|
| Alabama | US$ 49,881 / US$ 24.72 |
| Alaska | US$ 59,579 / US$ 28.64 |
| Arizona | US$ 55,785 / US$ 26.82 |
| Arkansas | US$ 50,250 / US$ 25.03 |
| California | US$ 68,698 / US$ 33.03 |
| Colorado | US$ 60,162 / US$ 28.92 |
| Connecticut | US$ 59,968 / US$ 29.72 |
| Delaware | US$ 55,049 / US$ 26.47 |
| District of Columbia (D.C.) | US$ 66,053 / US$ 31.76 |
| Florida | US$ 54,231 / US$ 26.67 |
| Georgia | US$ 52,804 / US$ 25.39 |
| Hawaii | US$ 60,980 / US$ 29.32 |
| Idaho | US$ 51,375 / US$ 25.46 |
| Illinois | US$ 55,210 / US$ 26.54 |
| Indiana | US$ 51,741 / US$ 24.88 |
| Iowa | US$ 52,152 / US$ 25.84 |
| Kansas | US$ 53,271 / US$ 25.61 |
| Kentucky | US$ 51,413 / US$ 24.72 |
| Louisiana | US$ 49,839 / US$ 24.70 |
| Maine | US$ 54,003 / US$ 25.96 |
| Maryland | US$ 59,486 / US$ 28.60 |
| Massachusetts | US$ 62,148 / US$ 30.80 |
| Michigan | US$ 52,692 / US$ 25.33 |
| Minnesota | US$ 57,379 / US$ 27.59 |
| Mississippi | US$ 46,524 / US$ 23.05 |
| Missouri | US$ 54,170 / US$ 26.04 |
| Montana | US$ 47,736 / US$ 22.95 |
| Nebraska | US$ 54,003 / US$ 26.76 |
| Nevada | US$ 53,898 / US$ 25.91 |
| New Hampshire | US$ 57,957 / US$ 27.86 |
| New Jersey | US$ 63,270 / US$ 31.35 |
| New Mexico | US$ 52,646 / US$ 25.31 |
| New York | US$ 61,436 / US$ 29.54 |
| North Carolina | US$ 55,352 / US$ 27.43 |
| North Dakota | US$ 54,792 / US$ 26.34 |
| Ohio | US$ 52,844 / US$ 25.41 |
| Oklahoma | US$ 50,662 / US$ 25.11 |
| Oregon | US$ 55,285 / US$ 26.58 |
| Pennsylvania | US$ 53,457 / US$ 25.70 |
| Rhode Island | US$ 55,761 / US$ 27.63 |
| South Carolina | US$ 50,610 / US$ 24.33 |
| South Dakota | US$ 51,653 / US$ 24.83 |
| Tennessee | US$ 54,732 / US$ 27.12 |
| Texas | US$ 57,802 / US$ 27.79 |
| US Territory | US$ 40,298 / US$ 19.37 |
| Utah | US$ 55,966 / US$ 27.73 |
| Vermont | US$ 52,967 / US$ 25.46 |
| Virginia | US$ 52,001 / US$ 25.00 |
| Washington | US$ 57,063 / US$ 28.28 |
| West Virginia | US$ 47,553 / US$ 22.86 |
| Wisconsin | US$ 55,979 / US$ 26.91 |
| Wyoming | US$ 54,667 / US$ 27.09 |
Conclusion
These are the average salaries for medical billing and coding professionals in the United States. Make sure to gain as many relevant certifications as possible to increase your average salary even more.
See Also
How to Apply Medical Billing and Coding Schools
Best Medical Billing Companies
Medical Billing and Coding Grants
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