How to Become a Medical Coder - and How Much Does It Pay?

Medical coders are health information professionals. Their main duties are to analyze clinical information and assign codes to data using a classification system.

If you’re interested in becoming a medical coder, check out the following helpful guide to know what you need to do and how much you can expect to earn.

Get a Diploma or Degree

While there aren’t any formal education requirements to become a medical coder, most employers expect you to have a postsecondary certificate or an Associate’s degree that includes formal training in things like medical industry codes, software, and terminology.

Get Medical Coding Certification

The more experience and qualifications you have, the more you will be able to apply for senior positions and command a higher salary.

So, after you have gained a diploma or degree, it can be advantageous to get a medical coding and billing certification.

Having the qualification will possibly help you to land more competitive jobs with top employers and could enable you to boost your earning potential. That’s because the credential shows prospective employers that you’re dedicated and have worked to try to gain the expertise required.

Know Which Coding Skills Are in Demand

Before you begin applying for jobs after gaining your qualifications, you should look at which coding skills are most in-demand by the top employers.

You can then brush up on your knowledge and skills to help you stand a better chance of getting the position you’re after.

You’ll need a good balance between soft skills and hard skills. At present, some of the most in-demand hard skills in medical coding include CPT coding, ICD-10, HCPCS coding, customer billing, and inpatient coding.

If you have soft skills like excellent communication, attention to detail, and computer literacy as well, you’ll be a natural fit for any top-choice employer looking for a medical coder.

Find a Job

To find the right position for you, first, consider what type of environment you would like to work in. Some people prefer the busy environment of a hospital while others prefer quieter places like physicians’ clinics.

Then utilize the resources from your schooling and within your peer network, in addition to approaching potential employers, to find a medical coding position that suits you well.

You should also consider joining a professional association that can unlock employment opportunities within the health sector.

How much does medical coding pay?

A lot of factors are at play when it comes to determining the pay rate you’ll be on as a medical coder. For instance, your experience, qualifications, and location can significantly affect your salary.

However, we can look at some statistics to give you an idea of how much you could expect to be paid as a medical coder in the United States.

On average, all kinds of medical coders earn around $53,000 annually. But certified medical coders average around $57,600 per year while uncertified medical coders take home only $41,500 per year on average.



Furthermore, when medical coders have two certificates, the average wage rises to around $63,000. Coders with vast experience and more than three credentials earn around $68,500 on average annually.

But location plays a large role in how much you’ll actually be paid. In the United States, your salary will be based on the employment cost index and consumer price index of each state.

That basically means you can be paid a lot more as a medical coder in some states than in others. For example, salary amounts are much higher in California than they are in Alabama. In fact, medical coders in California make $8.35 more per hour on average than medical coders located in Alabama.

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