2009 AAPC Salary Survey Results Press Release

Credentialed coders prove to be recession-proof in annual salary survey

SALT LAKE CITY–Oct. 1, 2009–Salaries for certified medical coding professionals increased an average of four percent from 2008 to 2009, despite economic conditions, according to an annual salary survey conducted by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC, www.aapc.com). Certified medical coder salaries rose to an average of $44,750 annually; non-certified coders reported a two percent average salary gain, bringing the average salary to $38,290.
Other highlights from the 22-question survey include:

• Education level significantly impacts salary level–a coder with a bachelor’s degree earns $51,820 on average while a coder with a high school diploma earns $40,746.

• Location also affects salary–comparing urban, rural and suburban areas, those in urban areas earn an average salary of $45,631; suburban areas, $44,551; and rural areas, $38,930.

• Salary varied from region to region, ranging from an average high of $50,143 in the Pacific region to low of $40,713 in the Mid-Atlantic region.

• Medical coders with multiple specialty credentials earn an average of $52,777.14

“Each year we look forward to getting the survey results, to see where certified coders stand in the competitive industry,” said Reed Pew, AAPC president and CEO. “In a time of economic troubles it is great to see that our coders are still excelling in terms of salary and recognition. It appears certified medical coders are more recession-proof than others.”
More than 10,000 medical coders responded to the annual salary survey, conducted this summer. To view the full results and salary details, look in the October issue of Coding Edge magazine or view the 2009 Salary Survey Results here.
About the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
The AAPC (www.aapc.com) is the nation’s largest medical coding training and certification association for medical coders. The AAPC provides credentials to medical coders in physician offices, outpatient facilities and payer environments. The certifications the AAPC offers are Certified Professional Coder (CPC®), Certified Professional Coder–Hospital (CPC-H®) and Certified Professional Coder–Payer (CPC-P®), as well as 19 specialty-specific credentials and the Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Coder® (CIRCC®) credential. These credentials represent the gold standard certifications for medical coding. The AAPC provides a wide variety of benefits to its more than 80,000 members worldwide.

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