Hello, and welcome to the fourth lesson of the Intro to Medical Coding course. I'm Heather with AAPC, and in this video, I'm gonna talk about the typical salary for medical coders in the US, the projected job growth rate, job security, and ways you can increase your salary down the road. This is all about helping you understand if medical coding is a solid career choice for you. Let's start with the big question.

How much do medical coders make? Well, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for medical records specialists, which includes medical coders, is forty eight thousand seven hundred and eighty dollars per year. But keep in mind, this can vary depending on factors like your level of experience, your certifications, and where you live. For example, medical coders in larger cities or areas with a high demand for health care services might earn more than those in smaller towns.

And if you have certifications like the CPC, Certified Professional Coder, or CCS, certified coding specialist, you can often command a higher salary. Certified medical records specialists make sixty two thousand six hundred and eighty nine dollars a year on average, which is sixteen point six percent more than their uncertified peers. You'll also want to know that typically the more certifications someone holds, the higher their pay. For example, in our twenty twenty four salary survey, we found that medical records specialists with two certifications earn seventy one thousand one hundred and thirty dollars a year on average.

In contrast, those who hold three or more certifications make seventy six thousand thirty five dollars on average annually. Year after year, our results continually show that certification is the number one factor that affects a medical records specialist's pay, and the results highlight that income typically increases with every additional certification earned. This is helpful to know even if you're just getting started so you know the generous opportunities this career offers to keep advancing down the road. Now let's talk about job growth.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also tells us that the job outlook for medical record specialists is projected to grow nine percent from now to twenty thirty three, much faster than the average for all occupations. But here's the real kicker. Health care is one of those fields that's always in demand. As the population ages and health care services expand, the need for accurate medical coding is only going to increase.

So if you're looking for a career with a strong growth outlook, this one's a pretty safe bet.

Medical coding offers solid job security because it's a critical function in the health care industry. This high demand for coders means there are plenty of job opportunities out there. Whether you're looking to work in a hospital, a private practice, or even remotely from home, there's a steady demand for qualified medical coders. If you're looking for a stable career with a decent starting salary, good job security, and room for growth, medical coding might be the right career for you. Watch the next video lesson in this course to learn more about the different types of medical coding, as well as what certifications you can earn.