August 17, 2025 • 13 mins
How much does a Medical Coding Professional make?
A credentialed coding professional has the potential to make six figures or more.
Can you make a high salary? It depends...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coding-break-with-tam-talk-podcast--4244224/support.
A credentialed coding professional has the potential to make six figures or more.
Can you make a high salary? It depends...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/coding-break-with-tam-talk-podcast--4244224/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Time to take your coding break. Hello, Hello, Hello, and
welcome back to the Coding Break podcast. I am your
medical coding coach TAM Talk and also serving as your
friendly coding break reminder. On today's episode, I want to
go into the topic or dub into the topic of
medical coding professional salaries.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Now, the information that I'm sharing.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Is just a glance or a glimpse into the salary
ranges of medical coders. Again, these are certified medical coding professionals,
and of course the salaries uh will very depending on
when the location to the role of the medical coder,
and and some other things college education, college degreeds, experiences,
(00:50):
things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
So we'll get into it. And of course, if you
were to.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Go on Google, you put in you know, what's the
medical coding r s salary range, and it's going to
give it based on your location. So I am located
in Texas, so I'm again this is based upon Google
and AI the salary ranges for medical coding professionals, and
of course it's going to range from someone who's moved
(01:17):
to medical coding as well as someone who may be
a seasoned coding professional. And again it's going to be
based on your location, the role in with you are
applying to, I don't say applying to pursue, but the
role that you're currently hired for, your functioning or task.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
As well as the experience.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
And then if there's like college degrees, college education and
amongst other things. So again, based upon AI's response to
my question for Texas, this is wow.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Okay, So it says the.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Salary ranges start from fourteen seventy two cents to thirty
six dollars and thirty five cents per hour. Okay, I'm
kind of hesitant on the forty two dollars fourteen dollars
and seventy two cents starting south.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
That is like extremely low. That is extremely low.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I would say, and this is just from my personal experience,
I would say that maybe the starting salary is probably
at twenty five dollars an hour. And that's again that
someone maybe I would I take that back, maybe twenty
two dollars an hour for someone who's starting out again,
(02:35):
someone without a college education or college degree, they're new
to medical code. Now, I would say between I would
say between twenty you know what the scratch that I'm
going to say twenty dollars an hour. It's probably the
beginning or the entry level rate for a medical code
or again that's someone who's new to coding. They don't
have any experience, and they don't hold a college degree,
(02:58):
so I would say, but but again according to Google,
it's the seal. The starting salary is fourteen dollars and
seventy two cents. And also we have to look at
the role in which you're you're performing or the role
in which you were hired to do, so it could
very well be fourteen dollars and seventy two cents, but
I beg to.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Differ, okay, and then it says the higher, the highest.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
The thirty six and thirty five per hour, and again
this is just on average. Again, these these numbers could
could definitely be higher. I know that they are higher,
and so but again this is just a g u
estimated an estam excuse me, an estimated guests by Google
for the salary range.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
And I'm going to soon Yeah, we're just gonna leave
at that.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
And so again it goes on to further breakdown the
actual city and I won't disclose that because you know,
but again we're in Texas, and so This is the
salary according excuse me, primarily for general medical coders. It
says the average salary per year is like fifty thousand
(04:11):
to excuse me, two hundred and fifty dollars per year.
And this is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
or BLS, and it says the median range is fifty again,
two hundred and fifty dollars per year or twenty four
dollars and sixteen cents per hour. Certified coders they say
they tend to earn more. So let me go back,
(04:33):
So the salary range is someone who doesn't hold a
coding credential, that is, someone who just knows how to code.
So yeah, so then that case, and that could actually
be a good estimate on the fourteen dollars and seventy
two cents up.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
To thirty six thirty five. But given the organizations.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Requiring the certification, yeah, so of course there would be more.
But again that range is based on someone who doesn't
hold a certification. Again, like the excuse me, a statistic
state that someone with a certification tends to earn more.
(05:17):
And again according to Google or as well as AI,
it is suggested that they earn at least eight point
five percent more, or there is an eight point five
percent difference compared to non certified colders. So, like I
said that the rates are higher if you are certified.
And so for some someone asks if the salary range
(05:40):
for coders or why should they become certified even though
you can code without a certification.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
That that's why, because you tend to earn more, you're able.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
To negotiate for a higher salary if you help hold
or half the credentials. And again your salar range is
also based on experience and location. That is something that
I mentioned previously. And of course the higher up you
are in your position, of course your salary should increases well.
(06:10):
So according to Google, someone such as a coding director
or manager can reach six figures, like they gave a
specific us like one hundred and twenty two thousand dollars.
And then you have someone some who may earn just
eighty three thousand dollars per year respectively.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So again, so.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
A coder has the capability, a credential colder has the
capability to earn a six figures per year. Okay, so
there's that, and then the factors, excuse me, other factors
affecting the salary. Again, the certification, like I said, you
earn more when you're certified. You can show proof that
you are credential or you hold the certification. But of
(06:50):
course experience plays a part. And then education Again, these
are all things that I previously mentioned. And then specialties
we'll get into that of course, depending on the specialty
that you're in as well. Some specialties pay more in
other than other specialties. For example, you have orthopedic, which
(07:11):
is orthopedic surgery, they pay more I mean anesthesiology and
uh anesthesia. The more I would say, the more complex
the specialty.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Is, the more more money or your.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Salary should should increase based upon that because you're you're
coding more complex services and procedures. So, but the one
that Google has listed here is orthopedic coding, which is
UH one I'm not gonna say the most complex, but
it is one of the more complicated or complex UH
(07:51):
specialties to code. So again, the more complex the specialty is, UH,
the salary should be more. So again, and the Google
listed orthopedic, I would even say cardiology, international, radiology, anesthesia,
anything that will require requires more critical thinking than any
(08:13):
other coding and not to say that, let me phrase
that not to say that the other specialties aren't complicated.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
It just involves more when it comes to those particular specialties.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
So yeah, so, and then the lastly it lists the employer.
So again it depends on the organization or the employer.
It depends on the role in which decoder is hard
for us is based upon the experiences, the years of experience,
whether it's with a particular specialty or if you're multi
(08:46):
speciality specialized. It also could be the location. Its location
could be the CD as well as the state. And
then if you if you hold crudentials, if you're certified,
if you're not, and then if you hold a college
screen or if you're not, like I mentioned, and you
probably well you probably haven't seen that, but I did
(09:08):
go live last week on TikTok and I did share
that there are coders who don't hold a credential, you know,
And then that's that's slim, very slim.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
How how do they get their their roles in coding? Uh?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
It depends they may have been working there and and
the organization may not require that.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
They have a coding credential. They may know someone you know, or.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Again, the organization may not require our coding credential, but
I would recommend having one for the simple fact that
if again just to increase in the salary, and then
if you choose to go elsewhere or seek employment elsewhere,
you'll have that credential, that certification.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
On your resume.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And so not only as you have the experience, but
you you have the actual paperwork or the document to
prove that you are a certified colder. You've taken the
time to study and sit for the exam and pass it.
So yeah, so that's that's my recommendation.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
So yeah, So again, the salary ranges varies.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
If you're certified, I again me personally, you should come
in in at least twenty dollars an hour, no experience,
no college degree.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
But you have your certification. And of course if you
don't have your certification, of.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Course your salary starting salary is going to be a
lot less and it should be. It should be as
far as like what's the highest salary it could go
as it could probably even go higher than six figures
to be honest with you, but according to Google, and
again your role that you're holding, you can make up
(10:56):
to six figures as a certified medical coding professional. So
that's exciting. That's something that to work towards. Whether you
want to be in leadership or some type of manager
or executive role, or if you want to go into
a more complicated a specialized specialty, you can make you
(11:17):
know your funds there and then don't be afraid to
evolve and what I mean buy that.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Like you have the Internet.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
So again, if you want to go into content creation,
you want to do some things, or you have your
own unique way of doing coding or thinking of looking
at coding, don't be afraid to share that information or
to create other avenues of income based upon that information.
(11:48):
In other words, don't be afraid to step outside the
box to utilize your certification or your experience as well
as your skills. I mean, yes, it seems daring and
daunting and could be making tireless.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Talk, you know what I'm trying to say. It could
be exhausting, It could.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Be exhausting, but honestly, it's not. Okay, you're the boss
of your content. You're the boss of whatever it is
that you decided, whether it be to get on YouTube
or to get on TikTok or all these other platforms
or to have your own platform.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
It is rewarding because you're.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Working towards something that I would say you own is
your content, your intellectual property.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
It's all yours. Just to make sure you, like you said,
you're copyrighting your content.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Yeah, it's yours. You set the schedule, you're the boss.
You know, it's your thing. You can create the time frame.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
To be consistent. How you choose to be consistent.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Whether you show up every day, whether you show up
every ten days, whether you show up at all, you know,
once a month, you know, but I would say show up,
of course, show up. But you have total control over
your content, your intellectual property, your way of thinking, how
you do things.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
When it comes to medical coding.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So don't again, don't be afraid to step outside the box.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Don't be the first to do something.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
If you don't see someone else doing something that you're doing,
or doing a type of coting that you're that you're
doing and it works for you, don't be afraid to
step out the box and start creating your content or
creating your products or whatever to cater to your your
(13:35):
your unique style, in your way of niching. In the
medical coding industry. So that's all that I have for
today's episode, as well as the coding break. But again
always remember to take your coding breaks.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Take your coding breaks. So that's all that I have
for this episode. So until the next time. Quote on
Time to take your coding break. Hello, Hello, Hello, and
welcome back to the Coding Break podcast. I am your
medical coding coach TAM Talk and also serving as your
friendly coding break reminder. On today's episode, I want to
go into the topic or dub into the topic of
medical coding professional salaries.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Now, the information that I'm sharing.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Is just a glance or a glimpse into the salary
ranges of medical coders. Again, these are certified medical coding professionals,
and of course the salaries uh will very depending on
when the location to the role of the medical coder,
and and some other things college education, college degreeds, experiences,
(00:50):
things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
So we'll get into it. And of course, if you
were to.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Go on Google, you put in you know, what's the
medical coding r s salary range, and it's going to
give it based on your location. So I am located
in Texas, so I'm again this is based upon Google
and AI the salary ranges for medical coding professionals, and
of course it's going to range from someone who's moved
(01:17):
to medical coding as well as someone who may be
a seasoned coding professional. And again it's going to be
based on your location, the role in with you are
applying to, I don't say applying to pursue, but the
role that you're currently hired for, your functioning or task.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
As well as the experience.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
And then if there's like college degrees, college education and
amongst other things. So again, based upon AI's response to
my question for Texas, this is wow.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Okay, So it says the.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Salary ranges start from fourteen seventy two cents to thirty
six dollars and thirty five cents per hour. Okay, I'm
kind of hesitant on the forty two dollars fourteen dollars
and seventy two cents starting south.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
That is like extremely low. That is extremely low.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I would say, and this is just from my personal experience,
I would say that maybe the starting salary is probably
at twenty five dollars an hour. And that's again that
someone maybe I would I take that back, maybe twenty
two dollars an hour for someone who's starting out again,
(02:35):
someone without a college education or college degree, they're new
to medical code. Now, I would say between I would
say between twenty you know what the scratch that I'm
going to say twenty dollars an hour. It's probably the
beginning or the entry level rate for a medical code
or again that's someone who's new to coding. They don't
have any experience, and they don't hold a college degree,
(02:58):
so I would say, but but again according to Google,
it's the seal. The starting salary is fourteen dollars and
seventy two cents. And also we have to look at
the role in which you're you're performing or the role
in which you were hired to do, so it could
very well be fourteen dollars and seventy two cents, but
I beg to.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Differ, okay, and then it says the higher, the highest.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
The thirty six and thirty five per hour, and again
this is just on average. Again, these these numbers could
could definitely be higher. I know that they are higher,
and so but again this is just a g u
estimated an estam excuse me, an estimated guests by Google
for the salary range.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
And I'm going to soon Yeah, we're just gonna leave
at that.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
And so again it goes on to further breakdown the
actual city and I won't disclose that because you know,
but again we're in Texas, and so This is the
salary according excuse me, primarily for general medical coders. It
says the average salary per year is like fifty thousand
(04:11):
to excuse me, two hundred and fifty dollars per year.
And this is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
or BLS, and it says the median range is fifty again,
two hundred and fifty dollars per year or twenty four
dollars and sixteen cents per hour. Certified coders they say
they tend to earn more. So let me go back,
(04:33):
So the salary range is someone who doesn't hold a
coding credential, that is, someone who just knows how to code.
So yeah, so then that case, and that could actually
be a good estimate on the fourteen dollars and seventy
two cents up.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
To thirty six thirty five. But given the organizations.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Requiring the certification, yeah, so of course there would be more.
But again that range is based on someone who doesn't
hold a certification. Again, like the excuse me, a statistic
state that someone with a certification tends to earn more.
(05:17):
And again according to Google or as well as AI,
it is suggested that they earn at least eight point
five percent more, or there is an eight point five
percent difference compared to non certified colders. So, like I
said that the rates are higher if you are certified.
And so for some someone asks if the salary range
(05:40):
for coders or why should they become certified even though
you can code without a certification.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
That that's why, because you tend to earn more, you're able.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
To negotiate for a higher salary if you help hold
or half the credentials. And again your salar range is
also based on experience and location. That is something that
I mentioned previously. And of course the higher up you
are in your position, of course your salary should increases well.
(06:10):
So according to Google, someone such as a coding director
or manager can reach six figures, like they gave a
specific us like one hundred and twenty two thousand dollars.
And then you have someone some who may earn just
eighty three thousand dollars per year respectively.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So again, so.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
A coder has the capability, a credential colder has the
capability to earn a six figures per year. Okay, so
there's that, and then the factors, excuse me, other factors
affecting the salary. Again, the certification, like I said, you
earn more when you're certified. You can show proof that
you are credential or you hold the certification. But of
(06:50):
course experience plays a part. And then education Again, these
are all things that I previously mentioned. And then specialties
we'll get into that of course, depending on the specialty
that you're in as well. Some specialties pay more in
other than other specialties. For example, you have orthopedic, which
(07:11):
is orthopedic surgery, they pay more I mean anesthesiology and
uh anesthesia. The more I would say, the more complex
the specialty.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Is, the more more money or your.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Salary should should increase based upon that because you're you're
coding more complex services and procedures. So, but the one
that Google has listed here is orthopedic coding, which is
UH one I'm not gonna say the most complex, but
it is one of the more complicated or complex UH
(07:51):
specialties to code. So again, the more complex the specialty is, UH,
the salary should be more. So again, and the Google
listed orthopedic, I would even say cardiology, international, radiology, anesthesia,
anything that will require requires more critical thinking than any
(08:13):
other coding and not to say that, let me phrase
that not to say that the other specialties aren't complicated.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
It just involves more when it comes to those particular specialties.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
So yeah, so, and then the lastly it lists the employer.
So again it depends on the organization or the employer.
It depends on the role in which decoder is hard
for us is based upon the experiences, the years of experience,
whether it's with a particular specialty or if you're multi
(08:46):
speciality specialized. It also could be the location. Its location
could be the CD as well as the state. And
then if you if you hold crudentials, if you're certified,
if you're not, and then if you hold a college
screen or if you're not, like I mentioned, and you
probably well you probably haven't seen that, but I did
(09:08):
go live last week on TikTok and I did share
that there are coders who don't hold a credential, you know,
And then that's that's slim, very slim.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
How how do they get their their roles in coding? Uh?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
It depends they may have been working there and and
the organization may not require that.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
They have a coding credential. They may know someone you know, or.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Again, the organization may not require our coding credential, but
I would recommend having one for the simple fact that
if again just to increase in the salary, and then
if you choose to go elsewhere or seek employment elsewhere,
you'll have that credential, that certification.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
On your resume.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And so not only as you have the experience, but
you you have the actual paperwork or the document to
prove that you are a certified colder. You've taken the
time to study and sit for the exam and pass it.
So yeah, so that's that's my recommendation.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
So yeah, So again, the salary ranges varies.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
If you're certified, I again me personally, you should come
in in at least twenty dollars an hour, no experience,
no college degree.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
But you have your certification. And of course if you
don't have your certification, of.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Course your salary starting salary is going to be a
lot less and it should be. It should be as
far as like what's the highest salary it could go
as it could probably even go higher than six figures
to be honest with you, but according to Google, and
again your role that you're holding, you can make up
(10:56):
to six figures as a certified medical coding professional. So
that's exciting. That's something that to work towards. Whether you
want to be in leadership or some type of manager
or executive role, or if you want to go into
a more complicated a specialized specialty, you can make you
(11:17):
know your funds there and then don't be afraid to
evolve and what I mean buy that.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Like you have the Internet.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
So again, if you want to go into content creation,
you want to do some things, or you have your
own unique way of doing coding or thinking of looking
at coding, don't be afraid to share that information or
to create other avenues of income based upon that information.
(11:48):
In other words, don't be afraid to step outside the
box to utilize your certification or your experience as well
as your skills. I mean, yes, it seems daring and
daunting and could be making tireless.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Talk, you know what I'm trying to say. It could
be exhausting, It could.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Be exhausting, but honestly, it's not. Okay, you're the boss
of your content. You're the boss of whatever it is
that you decided, whether it be to get on YouTube
or to get on TikTok or all these other platforms
or to have your own platform.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
It is rewarding because you're.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Working towards something that I would say you own is
your content, your intellectual property.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
It's all yours. Just to make sure you, like you said,
you're copyrighting your content.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Yeah, it's yours. You set the schedule, you're the boss.
You know, it's your thing. You can create the time frame.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
To be consistent. How you choose to be consistent.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Whether you show up every day, whether you show up
every ten days, whether you show up at all, you know,
once a month, you know, but I would say show up,
of course, show up. But you have total control over
your content, your intellectual property, your way of thinking, how
you do things.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
When it comes to medical coding.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So don't again, don't be afraid to step outside the box.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Don't be the first to do something.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
If you don't see someone else doing something that you're doing,
or doing a type of coting that you're that you're
doing and it works for you, don't be afraid to
step out the box and start creating your content or
creating your products or whatever to cater to your your
(13:35):
your unique style, in your way of niching. In the
medical coding industry. So that's all that I have for
today's episode, as well as the coding break. But again
always remember to take your coding breaks.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Take your coding breaks. So that's all that I have
for this episode. So until the next time. Quote on
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