How much does a medical records clerk make?
a year · about $25 an hour
A typical medical records clerk in the United States makes $51,140 a year, about $25 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
At a computer, a clerk checks charts for missing details, enters information, and assigns codes to diagnoses or treatments. They may ask a doctor to clarify a note and protect patient privacy while sending records only to approved staff.
Did you know? Even though they work in healthcare, medical records specialists do not provide hands-on patient care. They may also act as gatekeepers, letting only approved people see patient files.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $37,000 and $81,150How do you become one?
Many US workers enter after high school, often with a community-college or technical-school certificate; some jobs accept a diploma alone. Employers may prefer a coding certification, usually earned by passing an exam, but there is no fixed starting age.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like keeping things organized and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the US, experienced medical records clerks and those with coding credentials or a specialty may earn more. Pay also differs by employer, location, and schedule: large health systems and clinics can differ, and some hospital jobs include nights or weekends.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Rhode Island ($63,960), lowest in Mississippi ($41,500).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $37,000 | $51,140 | $81,150 | about 195,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $63,960 | about 650 |
| Washington | $62,270 | about 5,000 |
| California | $61,810 | about 19,000 |
| New York | $61,720 | about 9,000 |
| Minnesota | $61,530 | about 3,000 |
Official definition: 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).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.ht
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2072.00
- www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certifications-overview/cca
- www.aapc.com/blog/93909-salary-survey-shows-aapc-members-income-potential
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY