medical coder

Obviously, no discussion of the medical coding job outlook is complete without medical coding salary and wage information.  Fortunately, there is a lot of good news to report regarding medical coding salaries.

The Department of Labor tracks wages and salaries for a very large number of occupations, - this includes medical coding salary and wage information.  The most recent published Dept. of Labor statistics suggest that the mean salary for medical coders is about $32,000 per year.  The important thing to remember here is the term “mean” or average.  There is obviously far more to the story.

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The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) publishes an annual survey of medical coding wage and salary information.  The 2007 medical coding salary survey contains the following information:

Average Medical Coding Industry Annual Salary by Title:

Medical Coding Specialist:  $30,000 - $35,000
Medcial Coding Professional:  $30,000 - $35,000
Medical Coding Manager:  $40,000 - $45,000
Medical Billing Manager:   $35,000 - $40,000
Medical Coding Audit Specialist:  $40,000 - $45,000
Medical Coding Compliance Manager:  $55,000 - $60,000
Medical Records Supervisor:  $40,000 - $45,000
Administrator:  $85,000 +

For the full survey please visit the following link:

http://www.aapc.com/surveys/medical-coding-salary-survey07.aspx

There are a couple of things to be aware of in evaluating medical coding salary and wage information.

1. Certified Medical Coders earn on average 17% more than non-certified medical coders, according the the AAPC medical coding salary survey.
2. There is a very solid career path for medical coding professionals.  Wages increase with responsibility and advanced certification.  According to the AAPC Salary Survey, a full eight percent of medical coders possessing a specialty credential earned in excess of $85,000 per year.
3. Longevity and experience in the medical coding profession pay dividends, according to the 2007 AAPC Medical Coding Salary Survey. Medical coders with an entry level credential and one year or less of experience earn an average of $25,000 - $30,000 per year.  Medical coders with 18 or more years of experience earn an average of 70% to 80% more: $45,000 - $50,000 annually.

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