Occupation salary profile

Medical Records Specialists

SOC 29-2072 BLS OEWS May 2025

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).

National median · BLS
$51,140
▲ +1.77% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$56,790
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
194,720
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Medical Records Specialists

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$37,000
25th$43,490
Median (50th)$51,140
75th$64,820
90th — top pay$81,150

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Medical Records Specialists

BLS projects employment of medical records specialists to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 14,000 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
200,700 → 216,300
+15,600 jobs
Projected change
+7.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
14,000
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Self-employed
1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Medical Records Specialists

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Reading Comprehension3.6
  • Critical Thinking3.4
  • Active Listening3.3
  • Speaking3.1
  • Time Management3.1
  • Writing3.1
  • Active Learning3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.0
  • Monitoring3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Administrative4.3
  • English Language4.1
  • Customer and Personal Service4.0
  • Computers and Electronics3.5
  • Administration and Management3.3
  • Communications and Media2.9
  • Public Safety and Security2.9
  • Education and Training2.7
Software and technology used
Epic SystemsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookeClinicalWorks EHR softwareHenry Schein DentrixIBM SPSS StatisticsMEDITECH softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft SQL ServerMicrosoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRSMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft Visual BasicMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Word

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What medical records specialists do

  • Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.
  • Review records for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with regulations.
  • Scan patients' health records into electronic formats.
  • Release information to persons or agencies according to regulations.
  • Enter data, such as demographic characteristics, history and extent of disease, diagnostic procedures, or treatment into computer.
  • Maintain or operate a variety of health record indexes or storage and retrieval systems to collect, classify, store, or analyze information.
  • Process patient admission or discharge documents.
  • Retrieve patient medical records for physicians, technicians, or other medical personnel.
Also called
Health Information ClerkMedical CoderMedical Records ClerkMedical Records Technician (Medical Records Tech)CoderHealth Information SpecialistHealth Information Technician (Health Information Tech)Health Records SpecialistHIM Clerk (Health Information Management Clerk)RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician)
More job titles for this occupation (39)
Certified Coding SpecialistCertified Medical CoderCertified Professional Coder (CPC)Clinical Documentation SpecialistCoding ConsultantCoding SpecialistDisability RaterEHR Specialist (Electronic Health Records Specialist)Fee CoderHealth Informatics SpecialistHealth Information CoderHealth Records Technician (Health Records Tech)Health Services Information SpecialistHIM Hospital Coder (Health Information Management Hospital Coder)HIM Inpatient Coding Auditor (Health Information Management Inpatient Coding Auditor)HIM Tech (Health Information Management Technician)Inpatient CoderInsurance CoderMedical Administrative SpecialistMedical Administrative Technician (Medical Administrative Tech)Medical Bill CoderMedical BillerMedical Billing CoderMedical Billing SpecialistMedical Coding SpecialistMedical Coding Technician (Medical Coding Tech)Medical Insurance CoderMedical Insurance Coding SpecialistMedical Office CoordinatorMedical Office SpecialistMedical Office Technician (Medical Office Tech)Medical Records AssistantMedical Records CoderMedical Records CustodianMedical Reimbursement SpecialistOutpatient CoderPatient Administration SpecialistROI Medical Records Specialist (Release of Information Medical Records Specialist)ROI Specialist (Release of Information Specialist)

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.