29 Series · SOC 29-2072

Medical Records Specialists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$51,140
Median / year
+1.8%
2024→2025
$81,150
Top 10% earn
+7.1%
Growth '24–'34
194,720
Estimated US jobs

Medical Records Specialists earn a median of $51,140 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $51,140, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,000 (10th percentile) to $81,150 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 194,720 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($72,040).

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Medical Records Specialists earn a median of $51,140, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 36% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #63 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 7.1% by 2034.

$51,140
Median annual wage
Top 64%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#63 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
2.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $72,040. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.

Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072) has a national median of $51,140 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $37,000 to $81,150, and the published mean is $56,790. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 194,720 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 506 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $50,250 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $51,140 in May 2025, a rise of $890 (+1.8%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 14,200 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $72,040, which is +41% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $86,890. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 194,720 jobs Median $51,140/yr

Median Salary

$51,140

per year

Median Hourly

$24.59/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$56,790

average

Employment

194,720

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Medical Records Specialists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$51,140 Bottom 36% higher than 36% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$51,140 · 36th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Medical Records Specialists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Medical Records Specialists sits on the faster-growing side at +7.1% growth and $51,140 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Registered Nurses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $97550Licensed Practical a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $64400Pharmacy Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45750Physicians, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $265930Clinical Laboratory … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $62930Nurse Practitioners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 40.1% · Median annual wage: $132300Pharmacists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $140910Physical Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.9% · Median annual wage: $102760Radiologic Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $80110Dental Hygienists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $98100Medical Records Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $51140Speech-Language Path… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15% · Median annual wage: $97870Health Technologists… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.2% · Median annual wage: $50290Emergency Medical Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $44470Occupational Therapi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13.8% · Median annual wage: $100330Physician Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20.4% · Median annual wage: $135880Psychiatric Technici… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20% · Median annual wage: $45130Respiratory Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $82280Veterinary Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.1% · Median annual wage: $47380Dentists, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $170950Surgical Technologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64650Family Medicine Phys… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $244180Paramedics - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $60600Diagnostic Medical S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13% · Median annual wage: $96590
Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Medical Records Specialists sits on the faster-growing side at +7.1% growth and $51,140 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
  • Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
  • Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
  • Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
  • Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
  • Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
  • Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
  • Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
  • Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
  • Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
  • Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
  • Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
  • Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
  • Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
  • Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
  • Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
  • Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
  • Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
  • Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
  • Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
  • Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
  • Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
  • Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
  • Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+7.1%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

14,200

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+13,800

194,800 (2024) → 208,600 (2034)

Typical Education

Postsecondary nondegree award

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Medical Records Specialists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Key Tasks

  • Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
  • Compile and maintain patients' medical records to document condition and treatment and to provide data for research or cost control and care improvement efforts.
  • Consult classification manuals to locate information about disease processes.
  • Enter data, such as demographic characteristics, history and extent of disease, diagnostic procedures, or treatment into computer.
  • Identify, compile, abstract, and code patient data, using standard classification systems.
  • Maintain or operate a variety of health record indexes or storage and retrieval systems to collect, classify, store, or analyze information.
  • Post medical insurance billings.
  • Process and prepare business or government forms.
  • Process patient admission or discharge documents.
  • Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$37,000
25th$43,490
Median$51,140
75th$64,820
90th$81,150

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.79
25th$20.91
Median$24.59
75th$31.17
90th$39.01

Medical Records Specialists pay history, 2021–2025

Published national median across 5 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$46,000$47,000$48,000$49,000$50,000$51,000$52,000 20212022202320242025 National median - 2021: $46,660National median - 2022: $47,180National median - 2023: $48,780National median - 2024: $50,250National median - 2025: $51,140$51,140
National median annual wage for Medical Records Specialists, May 2021 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2021 $46,660
2022 $47,180
2023 $48,780
2024 $50,250
2025 $51,140

2021 median

$46,660

2025 median

$51,140

2021–2025 change

+$4,480 (+9.6%)

Avg/year

+2.3%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Medical Records Specialists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2021 $46,660 First banked release 180,570
May 2022 $47,180 +1.1% 187,720
May 2023 $48,780 +3.4% 185,690
May 2024 $50,250 +3.0% 187,910
May 2025 $51,140 +1.8% 194,720

Across the 5 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $46,660 in May 2021 to $51,140 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2021–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 180,570 in May 2021 to 194,720 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $72,040 +41% above national
2 Rhode Island $63,960 +25% above national
3 Hawaii $63,180 +24% above national
4 Washington $62,270 +22% above national
5 California $61,810 +21% above national
6 New York $61,720 +21% above national
7 Minnesota $61,530 +20% above national
8 Alaska $61,090 +19% above national
9 Connecticut $60,940 +19% above national
10 Massachusetts $60,350 +18% above national
11 Wisconsin $60,280 +18% above national
12 Colorado $59,020 +15% above national
13 Oregon $59,000 +15% above national
14 Vermont $57,560 +13% above national
15 New Mexico $57,470 +12% above national
16 Illinois $56,440 +10% above national
17 Delaware $56,060 +10% above national
18 South Carolina $54,280 +6% above national
19 Maryland $54,220 +6% above national
20 Wyoming $54,210 +6% above national
21 Idaho $53,460 +5% above national
22 Oklahoma $53,460 +5% above national
23 Virginia $53,290 +4% above national
24 Utah $52,870 +3% above national
25 Maine $52,090 +2% above national
26 Nebraska $51,670 +1% above national
27 South Dakota $51,610 +1% above national
28 Georgia $51,550 +1% above national
29 Ohio $50,990 same as national
30 Missouri $50,750 1% below national
31 Iowa $50,640 1% below national
32 Nevada $50,300 2% below national
33 New Jersey $50,240 2% below national
34 Montana $50,190 2% below national
35 North Carolina $49,620 3% below national
36 New Hampshire $49,210 4% below national
37 Texas $48,860 4% below national
38 Tennessee $48,780 5% below national
39 Kentucky $48,410 5% below national
40 Kansas $48,160 6% below national
41 Michigan $48,120 6% below national
42 Indiana $47,670 7% below national
43 Arizona $47,630 7% below national
44 West Virginia $47,360 7% below national
45 Pennsylvania $46,840 8% below national
46 North Dakota $46,280 10% below national
47 Florida $45,760 11% below national
48 Louisiana $44,610 13% below national
49 Alabama $43,810 14% below national
50 Arkansas $41,740 18% below national
51 Mississippi $41,500 19% below national
52 Guam $38,470 25% below national
53 Puerto Rico $27,990 45% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 374 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $86,890 +70% above national
2 Vallejo, CA $82,230 +61% above national
3 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $75,150 +47% above national
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $74,400 +45% above national
5 New Haven, CT $67,290 +32% above national
6 Iowa City, IA $66,340 +30% above national
7 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $65,730 +29% above national
8 Cheyenne, WY $65,680 +28% above national
9 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $65,530 +28% above national
10 Urban Honolulu, HI $65,220 +28% above national
11 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $64,590 +26% above national
12 Corvallis, OR $64,450 +26% above national
13 Appleton, WI $63,510 +24% above national
14 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $63,360 +24% above national
15 Bend, OR $62,980 +23% above national
16 Stockton-Lodi, CA $62,950 +23% above national
17 Columbia, SC $62,650 +23% above national
18 Charlottesville, VA $62,600 +22% above national
19 Winston-Salem, NC $62,590 +22% above national
20 Greenville, NC $62,570 +22% above national
21 Topeka, KS $62,470 +22% above national
22 Ann Arbor, MI $62,420 +22% above national
23 Santa Fe, NM $62,280 +22% above national
24 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $62,030 +21% above national
25 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $61,950 +21% above national
26 Cleveland, OH $61,950 +21% above national
27 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $61,950 +21% above national
28 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $61,890 +21% above national
29 Madison, WI $61,860 +21% above national
30 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $61,830 +21% above national
31 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $61,670 +21% above national
32 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $61,520 +20% above national
33 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $61,480 +20% above national
34 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $61,320 +20% above national
35 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $61,240 +20% above national
36 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $61,190 +20% above national
37 Fairbanks-College, AK $61,090 +19% above national
38 Columbia, MO $60,960 +19% above national
39 El Centro, CA $60,850 +19% above national
40 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $60,700 +19% above national
41 Longview-Kelso, WA $60,700 +19% above national
42 Anchorage, AK $60,620 +19% above national
43 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $60,580 +18% above national
44 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $60,570 +18% above national
45 St. Cloud, MN $60,490 +18% above national
46 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $60,460 +18% above national
47 Salisbury, MD $60,330 +18% above national
48 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $60,230 +18% above national
49 Albuquerque, NM $60,020 +17% above national
50 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $59,650 +17% above national
51 Bellingham, WA $59,630 +17% above national
52 Redding, CA $59,630 +17% above national
53 Janesville-Beloit, WI $59,600 +17% above national
54 Visalia, CA $59,420 +16% above national
55 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $59,390 +16% above national
56 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $59,110 +16% above national
57 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $58,950 +15% above national
58 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $58,900 +15% above national
59 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $58,830 +15% above national
60 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $58,820 +15% above national
61 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $58,810 +15% above national
62 Barnstable Town, MA $58,720 +15% above national
63 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $58,690 +15% above national
64 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $58,680 +15% above national
65 Napa, CA $58,670 +15% above national
66 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $58,590 +15% above national
67 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $58,470 +14% above national
68 Fresno, CA $58,400 +14% above national
69 Kennewick-Richland, WA $58,330 +14% above national
70 Pocatello, ID $58,310 +14% above national
71 Boulder, CO $58,280 +14% above national
72 Merced, CA $58,060 +14% above national
73 Springfield, MA $58,060 +14% above national
74 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $57,970 +13% above national
75 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $57,970 +13% above national
76 Salinas, CA $57,880 +13% above national
77 Carson City, NV $57,700 +13% above national
78 Chico, CA $57,490 +12% above national
79 Oklahoma City, OK $57,420 +12% above national
80 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $57,290 +12% above national
81 Jackson, TN $57,150 +12% above national
82 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $57,150 +12% above national
83 Portland-South Portland, ME $57,060 +12% above national
84 Salem, OR $57,010 +11% above national
85 Ithaca, NY $56,830 +11% above national
86 Omaha, NE-IA $56,830 +11% above national
87 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $56,750 +11% above national
88 Walla Walla, WA $56,620 +11% above national
89 Kankakee, IL $56,450 +10% above national
90 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $56,140 +10% above national
91 Boise City, ID $55,970 +9% above national
92 Hinesville, GA $55,880 +9% above national
93 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $55,860 +9% above national
94 Springfield, IL $55,800 +9% above national
95 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $55,670 +9% above national
96 Flagstaff, AZ $55,650 +9% above national
97 Lexington Park, MD $55,370 +8% above national
98 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $55,270 +8% above national
99 Lebanon, PA $55,040 +8% above national
100 Grants Pass, OR $54,970 +7% above national
101 Colorado Springs, CO $54,950 +7% above national
102 Farmington, NM $54,700 +7% above national
103 Gainesville, FL $54,500 +7% above national
104 Raleigh-Cary, NC $54,340 +6% above national
105 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $54,270 +6% above national
106 St. George, UT $53,930 +5% above national
107 Dover, DE $53,920 +5% above national
108 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $53,870 +5% above national
109 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $53,830 +5% above national
110 Eugene-Springfield, OR $53,750 +5% above national
111 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $53,460 +5% above national
112 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $53,100 +4% above national
113 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $53,040 +4% above national
114 Mankato, MN $53,040 +4% above national
115 Bozeman, MT $53,000 +4% above national
116 Saginaw, MI $52,890 +3% above national
117 Midland, TX $52,740 +3% above national
118 Columbus, GA-AL $52,580 +3% above national
119 Missoula, MT $52,530 +3% above national
120 Yakima, WA $52,500 +3% above national
121 Syracuse, NY $52,450 +3% above national
122 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $52,270 +2% above national
123 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $52,140 +2% above national
124 Rapid City, SD $52,140 +2% above national
125 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $52,060 +2% above national
126 Midland, MI $52,050 +2% above national
127 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $52,000 +2% above national
128 Jacksonville, NC $51,930 +2% above national
129 Florence, SC $51,870 +1% above national
130 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $51,870 +1% above national
131 Green Bay, WI $51,850 +1% above national
132 Duluth, MN-WI $51,820 +1% above national
133 Grand Island, NE $51,650 +1% above national
134 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $51,610 +1% above national
135 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $51,580 +1% above national
136 Vineland, NJ $51,580 +1% above national
137 Fayetteville, NC $51,570 +1% above national
138 Tulsa, OK $51,440 +1% above national
139 Rome, GA $51,400 +1% above national
140 Richmond, VA $51,370 same as national
141 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $51,350 same as national
142 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $51,300 same as national
143 St. Louis, MO-IL $51,260 same as national
144 Spartanburg, SC $51,260 same as national
145 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $51,250 same as national
146 Victoria, TX $51,250 same as national
147 Columbus, OH $51,230 same as national
148 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $51,110 same as national
149 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $51,090 same as national
150 Worcester, MA $51,050 same as national
151 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $50,890 same as national
152 Manchester-Nashua, NH $50,770 1% below national
153 Wausau, WI $50,680 1% below national
154 Great Falls, MT $50,650 1% below national
155 Reno, NV $50,650 1% below national
156 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $50,590 1% below national
157 Yuba City, CA $50,560 1% below national
158 Odessa, TX $50,410 1% below national
159 Binghamton, NY $50,290 2% below national
160 Kansas City, MO-KS $50,280 2% below national
161 Medford, OR $50,220 2% below national
162 Morgantown, WV $50,220 2% below national
163 Billings, MT $50,190 2% below national
164 Naples-Marco Island, FL $50,130 2% below national
165 Decatur, IL $50,070 2% below national
166 Jacksonville, FL $50,050 2% below national
167 Fort Wayne, IN $50,040 2% below national
168 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $50,020 2% below national
169 Lawton, OK $49,940 2% below national
170 Pittsfield, MA $49,910 2% below national
171 Lincoln, NE $49,870 2% below national
172 Peoria, IL $49,860 3% below national
173 Ames, IA $49,850 3% below national
174 Rockford, IL $49,770 3% below national
175 Lexington-Fayette, KY $49,760 3% below national
176 Coeur d'Alene, ID $49,720 3% below national
177 Dubuque, IA $49,720 3% below national
178 Cedar Rapids, IA $49,710 3% below national
179 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $49,700 3% below national
180 Eau Claire, WI $49,630 3% below national
181 Jefferson City, MO $49,540 3% below national
182 Akron, OH $49,480 3% below national
183 Killeen-Temple, TX $49,440 3% below national
184 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $49,420 3% below national
185 Kingston, NY $49,400 3% below national
186 Traverse City, MI $49,340 4% below national
187 Auburn-Opelika, AL $49,310 4% below national
188 Tucson, AZ $49,300 4% below national
189 Columbus, IN $49,270 4% below national
190 Kokomo, IN $49,160 4% below national
191 Williamsport, PA $49,110 4% below national
192 Johnstown, PA $49,090 4% below national
193 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $49,090 4% below national
194 Evansville, IN $49,070 4% below national
195 St. Joseph, MO-KS $49,040 4% below national
196 Chattanooga, TN-GA $49,020 4% below national
197 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $49,010 4% below national
198 Rochester, NY $49,010 4% below national
199 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $48,990 4% below national
200 Lewiston, ID-WA $48,950 4% below national
201 Savannah, GA $48,900 4% below national
202 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $48,780 5% below national
203 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $48,770 5% below national
204 Fond du Lac, WI $48,590 5% below national
205 Pueblo, CO $48,590 5% below national
206 Grand Junction, CO $48,500 5% below national
207 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $48,470 5% below national
208 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $48,430 5% below national
209 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $48,410 5% below national
210 Helena, MT $48,410 5% below national
211 Abilene, TX $48,390 5% below national
212 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $48,380 5% below national
213 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $48,380 5% below national
214 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $48,380 5% below national
215 Niles, MI $48,350 5% below national
216 Greeley, CO $48,320 6% below national
217 Bloomington, IN $48,270 6% below national
218 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $48,270 6% below national
219 Modesto, CA $48,240 6% below national
220 Utica-Rome, NY $48,120 6% below national
221 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $48,110 6% below national
222 Hammond, LA $48,060 6% below national
223 Sandusky, OH $47,970 6% below national
224 El Paso, TX $47,860 6% below national
225 Chambersburg, PA $47,830 6% below national
226 Bloomington, IL $47,710 7% below national
227 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $47,690 7% below national
228 State College, PA $47,680 7% below national
229 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $47,680 7% below national
230 Knoxville, TN $47,660 7% below national
231 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $47,630 7% below national
232 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $47,620 7% below national
233 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $47,610 7% below national
234 Twin Falls, ID $47,610 7% below national
235 Lawrence, KS $47,590 7% below national
236 Canton-Massillon, OH $47,550 7% below national
237 Springfield, MO $47,510 7% below national
238 Casper, WY $47,450 7% below national
239 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $47,450 7% below national
240 Amarillo, TX $47,410 7% below national
241 Lima, OH $47,360 7% below national
242 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $47,360 7% below national
243 Toledo, OH $47,340 7% below national
244 Lynchburg, VA $47,180 8% below national
245 Idaho Falls, ID $47,160 8% below national
246 Johnson City, TN $47,150 8% below national
247 Charleston, WV $47,130 8% below national
248 Wichita, KS $47,070 8% below national
249 Clarksville, TN-KY $47,050 8% below national
250 Manhattan, KS $47,050 8% below national
251 Joplin, MO-KS $47,000 8% below national
252 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $46,970 8% below national
253 Roanoke, VA $46,970 8% below national
254 Jackson, MI $46,950 8% below national
255 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $46,930 8% below national
256 San Angelo, TX $46,930 8% below national
257 Tuscaloosa, AL $46,930 8% below national
258 Wheeling, WV-OH $46,910 8% below national
259 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $46,820 8% below national
260 Gainesville, GA $46,800 8% below national
261 Bangor, ME $46,780 9% below national
262 Valdosta, GA $46,770 9% below national
263 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $46,740 9% below national
264 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $46,730 9% below national
265 Bismarck, ND $46,720 9% below national
266 Terre Haute, IN $46,620 9% below national
267 Baton Rouge, LA $46,610 9% below national
268 Birmingham, AL $46,490 9% below national
269 Athens-Clarke County, GA $46,350 9% below national
270 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $46,350 9% below national
271 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $46,340 9% below national
272 Fargo, ND-MN $46,280 10% below national
273 Reading, PA $46,170 10% below national
274 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $46,130 10% below national
275 Pittsburgh, PA $46,120 10% below national
276 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $46,110 10% below national
277 Logan, UT-ID $45,980 10% below national
278 Champaign-Urbana, IL $45,960 10% below national
279 Paducah, KY-IL $45,930 10% below national
280 Grand Forks, ND-MN $45,860 10% below national
281 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $45,830 10% below national
282 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $45,820 10% below national
283 Macon-Bibb County, GA $45,790 10% below national
284 Cleveland, TN $45,760 11% below national
285 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $45,580 11% below national
286 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $45,560 11% below national
287 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $45,490 11% below national
288 Owensboro, KY $45,400 11% below national
289 Lancaster, PA $45,340 11% below national
290 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $45,330 11% below national
291 Greensboro-High Point, NC $45,180 12% below national
292 Montgomery, AL $45,170 12% below national
293 Battle Creek, MI $45,150 12% below national
294 Yuma, AZ $45,140 12% below national
295 Wichita Falls, TX $45,100 12% below national
296 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $45,020 12% below national
297 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $44,950 12% below national
298 York-Hanover, PA $44,840 12% below national
299 Bowling Green, KY $44,770 12% below national
300 Flint, MI $44,690 13% below national
301 Longview, TX $44,590 13% below national
302 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $44,590 13% below national
303 Goldsboro, NC $44,500 13% below national
304 Tyler, TX $44,500 13% below national
305 Elizabethtown, KY $44,480 13% below national
306 Altoona, PA $44,470 13% below national
307 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $44,460 13% below national
308 College Station-Bryan, TX $44,400 13% below national
309 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $44,390 13% below national
310 Decatur, AL $44,340 13% below national
311 Port St. Lucie, FL $44,340 13% below national
312 Asheville, NC $44,280 13% below national
313 Homosassa Springs, FL $44,160 14% below national
314 Las Cruces, NM $44,160 14% below national
315 Lubbock, TX $43,980 14% below national
316 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $43,870 14% below national
317 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $43,830 14% below national
318 Tallahassee, FL $43,760 14% below national
319 Hattiesburg, MS $43,600 15% below national
320 Mansfield, OH $43,490 15% below national
321 Mobile, AL $43,430 15% below national
322 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $43,300 15% below national
323 Warner Robins, GA $43,230 15% below national
324 Burlington, NC $43,220 15% below national
325 Ogden, UT $43,170 16% below national
326 Muncie, IN $43,160 16% below national
327 Sherman-Denison, TX $43,160 16% below national
328 Waco, TX $43,130 16% below national
329 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $43,060 16% below national
330 Wilmington, NC $42,930 16% below national
331 Erie, PA $42,640 17% below national
332 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $42,560 17% below national
333 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $41,930 18% below national
334 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $41,780 18% below national
335 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $41,690 18% below national
336 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $41,570 19% below national
337 Punta Gorda, FL $41,520 19% below national
338 Beckley, WV $41,320 19% below national
339 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $41,280 19% below national
340 Hot Springs, AR $41,230 19% below national
341 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $41,130 20% below national
342 Ocala, FL $41,120 20% below national
343 Anniston-Oxford, AL $41,110 20% below national
344 Jackson, MS $41,080 20% below national
345 Glens Falls, NY $41,070 20% below national
346 Gadsden, AL $41,030 20% below national
347 Morristown, TN $40,550 21% below national
348 Dalton, GA $40,470 21% below national
349 Rocky Mount, NC $40,360 21% below national
350 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $40,350 21% below national
351 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $39,900 22% below national
352 Springfield, OH $39,650 22% below national
353 Dothan, AL $39,630 23% below national
354 Winchester, VA-WV $39,560 23% below national
355 Monroe, LA $39,350 23% below national
356 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $39,150 23% below national
357 Youngstown-Warren, OH $38,920 24% below national
358 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $38,840 24% below national
359 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $38,800 24% below national
360 Laredo, TX $38,370 25% below national
361 Huntsville, AL $38,150 25% below national
362 Corpus Christi, TX $38,080 26% below national
363 Jonesboro, AR $38,080 26% below national
364 Albany, GA $38,010 26% below national
365 Alexandria, LA $37,640 26% below national
366 Lafayette, LA $37,440 27% below national
367 Fort Smith, AR-OK $37,020 28% below national
368 Sebring, FL $36,470 29% below national
369 Texarkana, TX-AR $34,940 32% below national
370 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $28,750 44% below national
371 Ponce, PR $28,630 44% below national
372 Arecibo, PR $28,330 45% below national
373 Aguadilla, PR $25,890 49% below national
374 Mayaguez, PR $24,760 52% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($51,140 here) and reported employment (194,720 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Medical Records Specialists make?
The median annual salary for Medical Records Specialists is $51,140 ($24.59/hour). The salary range spans from $37,000 at the 10th percentile to $81,150 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Medical Records Specialists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $51,140, Medical Records Specialists pay is higher than 36% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Medical Records Specialists the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Medical Records Specialists at $72,040/year, which is +41% above the national median.
What education do Medical Records Specialists need?
BLS assigns Medical Records Specialists to Postsecondary nondegree award for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Medical Records Specialists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Medical Records Specialists in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Medical Records Specialists a good career?
Employment for Medical Records Specialists is projected to grow 7.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 14,200 openings are projected each year.
How does Medical Records Specialists pay vary by state?
Medical Records Specialists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $72,040/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $27,990/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Medical Records Specialists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $86,890/year. BLS reports a median for 374 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Medical Records Specialists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $64,820/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $72,040/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.