Becoming a Medical Coder via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
LA College International, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering medical coding courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
medical coders,
medical assistants,
medical secretaries,
medical office assistants, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 170,580 people employed as
medical records and health information technicians alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$33,880.
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians make on average $37,860
per year and there are about 152,420
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like LA College International that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for a Medical Coder
- hospital
- medical office
- optometry office
- medicare administration
- insurance company
- mri clinic
- medical laboratory
- cancer treatment center
- planned parenthood
- free clinic
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Medical Coder
- good pay
- good job security
- learn new things
- work inside
- meet new people occasionaly
- get alot of alone time
- learn to document complex medical items
- become a good multi tasker
- help people
- get to work in the medical field
Potential Drawbacks
- certification required
- high rate of burn out
- eye strain
- work by yourself often
- denied claims
- multi-tasking demands
- requires 2 years experience for most jobs
- complex documentation
- high stress
- speed and accuracy required
Related Professions to Consider
- Billing Specialist
- Patient Account Representative
- Electronic Claims Processor
- Billing Coordinator
- Coding Specialist
- Claims Processor
- Medical Collector
- Claims Assistant Professional
- Reimbursement Specialist
- Claims Reviewer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Medical Coder
- Tell me a little bit about your job?
- What are the different kinds of Medical Coding?
- What are the qualities required in the field of the Medical Coding?
- How many years of experience do you have in this field?
- What do you mean by the CPT codes?
- What do you mean by the Dentrix?
- How did your medical coding school studies help you in your job?
- What kind of person does well in a medical coding job?
- What kind of person does well in a medical transcribing job?
- What's the difference between hospital coding & physician coding?
Common Collaborating Professions
- Medical biller
- medical transcriptionist
- Medical reps
- Para Medical
- Medical Receptionist
- Top Notch Health Care BPOs
- Medical Equipment
- Medical Typist
- Medical Professional
- Executive Medical Affairs
Medical Coder Training books
Medical Coder (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- alternative medicine
- clinical laboratory science
- communication disorders
- counseling
- nursing
- nutrition food science
- occupational safety health
- sports science
- respiratory therapy
- physical therapy
Medical Coder Salary Information
Category: Medical and clinical laboratory technicians
| Total # Employed in the US |
152,420 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$18.2/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $11.46 |
$13.83 |
$17.32 |
$21.84 |
$26.55 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$37,860 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $23,850 |
$28,770 |
$36,030 |
$45,420 |
$55,210 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.4% |
10.8% |
18.2% |
17.2% |
44.4% |
5.4% |
2.5% |
|
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Virginia |
$26.68/hr
|
$55,490
|
| Mississippi |
$22.05/hr
|
$45,870
|
| Delaware |
$21.82/hr
|
$45,380
|
| Alaska |
$21.12/hr
|
$43,920
|
| Oklahoma |
$21.01/hr
|
$43,690
|
| North Dakota |
$20.79/hr
|
$43,230
|
| Puerto Rico |
$20.62/hr
|
$42,890
|
| Colorado |
$20.35/hr
|
$42,320
|
| Indiana |
$20.09/hr
|
$41,790
|
| Nebraska |
$20.06/hr
|
$41,730
|
| District of Columbia |
$19.93/hr
|
$41,450
|
| Florida |
$19.72/hr
|
$41,010
|
| Kansas |
$19.53/hr
|
$40,620
|
| New Jersey |
$19.49/hr
|
$40,540
|
| Missouri |
$19.28/hr
|
$40,090
|
| Utah |
$19.2/hr
|
$39,940
|
| Tennessee |
$19/hr
|
$39,510
|
| Kentucky |
$18.74/hr
|
$38,990
|
| North Carolina |
$18.73/hr
|
$38,960
|
| Michigan |
$18.63/hr
|
$38,760
|
| South Carolina |
$18.47/hr
|
$38,420
|
| Arkansas |
$18.37/hr
|
$38,210
|
| Ohio |
$17.98/hr
|
$37,400
|
| Iowa |
$17.72/hr
|
$36,860
|
| Louisiana |
$17.63/hr
|
$36,670
|
| Connecticut |
$17.56/hr
|
$36,530
|
| Oregon |
$17.55/hr
|
$36,490
|
| Hawaii |
$17.26/hr
|
$35,910
|
| Washington |
$17.08/hr
|
$35,530
|
| Maryland |
$16.99/hr
|
$35,340
|
| New York |
$16.69/hr
|
$34,720
|
| Wyoming |
$16.52/hr
|
$34,370
|
| Wisconsin |
$16.34/hr
|
$33,990
|
| Montana |
$16.34/hr
|
$33,990
|
| New Hampshire |
$16.01/hr
|
$33,300
|
| California |
$15.95/hr
|
$33,170
|
| New Mexico |
$15.92/hr
|
$33,120
|
| Pennsylvania |
$15.74/hr
|
$32,730
|
| West Virginia |
$15.71/hr
|
$32,670
|
| Massachusetts |
$15.67/hr
|
$32,590
|
| Alabama |
$15.57/hr
|
$32,390
|
| Idaho |
$15.42/hr
|
$32,060
|
| South Dakota |
$15.27/hr
|
$31,770
|
| Maine |
$15.27/hr
|
$31,770
|
| Nevada |
$15.03/hr
|
$31,260
|
| Guam |
$14.51/hr
|
$30,180
|
Category: Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
| Total # Employed in the US |
217,920 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$15.88/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $9.31 |
$11.37 |
$14.42 |
$18.87 |
$24.74 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$33,020 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $19,360 |
$23,650 |
$30,000 |
$39,250 |
$51,460 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.2% |
17.6% |
44.7% |
21.0% |
12.5% |
1.7% |
1.2% |
|
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Indiana |
$22.78/hr
|
$47,380
|
| Alaska |
$22.42/hr
|
$46,630
|
| Tennessee |
$20.78/hr
|
$43,220
|
| Mississippi |
$19.79/hr
|
$41,150
|
| Oklahoma |
$18.67/hr
|
$38,830
|
| Kansas |
$18.59/hr
|
$38,670
|
| Iowa |
$18.45/hr
|
$38,380
|
| District of Columbia |
$18.02/hr
|
$37,470
|
| Missouri |
$17.82/hr
|
$37,070
|
| New York |
$17.53/hr
|
$36,470
|
| Delaware |
$17.53/hr
|
$36,470
|
| Connecticut |
$17.35/hr
|
$36,080
|
| Colorado |
$16.87/hr
|
$35,090
|
| North Dakota |
$16.81/hr
|
$34,950
|
| North Carolina |
$16.79/hr
|
$34,920
|
| Massachusetts |
$16.2/hr
|
$33,700
|
| Virginia |
$16.08/hr
|
$33,440
|
| New Hampshire |
$15.69/hr
|
$32,630
|
| Alabama |
$15.44/hr
|
$32,120
|
| Nebraska |
$15.34/hr
|
$31,910
|
| Hawaii |
$15.34/hr
|
$31,900
|
| Washington |
$15.25/hr
|
$31,720
|
| Montana |
$15.25/hr
|
$31,730
|
| Oregon |
$15.2/hr
|
$31,620
|
| Idaho |
$15.18/hr
|
$31,580
|
| Wisconsin |
$15.02/hr
|
$31,230
|
| Guam |
$14.81/hr
|
$30,800
|
| Puerto Rico |
$14.77/hr
|
$30,730
|
| Wyoming |
$14.74/hr
|
$30,650
|
| Ohio |
$14.58/hr
|
$30,330
|
| Michigan |
$14.52/hr
|
$30,210
|
| Arkansas |
$14.43/hr
|
$30,020
|
| Utah |
$14.38/hr
|
$29,900
|
| Kentucky |
$14.28/hr
|
$29,690
|
| Louisiana |
$14.06/hr
|
$29,240
|
| Pennsylvania |
$13.98/hr
|
$29,070
|
| California |
$13.76/hr
|
$28,630
|
| Maine |
$13.51/hr
|
$28,110
|
| Maryland |
$13.5/hr
|
$28,080
|
| South Carolina |
$13.45/hr
|
$27,980
|
| New Mexico |
$13.25/hr
|
$27,560
|
| South Dakota |
$12.97/hr
|
$26,980
|
| Nevada |
$12.6/hr
|
$26,210
|
| West Virginia |
$12.47/hr
|
$25,930
|
| New Jersey |
$12.24/hr
|
$25,470
|
Category: Medical records and health information technicians
| Total # Employed in the US |
170,580 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$16.29/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $10.03 |
$11.96 |
$15.04 |
$19.49 |
$24.76 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$33,880 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $20,850 |
$24,870 |
$31,290 |
$40,540 |
$51,510 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 3.7% |
34.2% |
31.6% |
16.1% |
12.3% |
1.3% |
0.8% |
|
Medical records and health information technicians — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| North Dakota |
$21.99/hr
|
$45,750
|
| Indiana |
$19.88/hr
|
$41,340
|
| Florida |
$19.85/hr
|
$41,290
|
| Alaska |
$18.99/hr
|
$39,490
|
| Mississippi |
$18.91/hr
|
$39,330
|
| Missouri |
$18.9/hr
|
$39,310
|
| Colorado |
$18.53/hr
|
$38,550
|
| Oklahoma |
$18.33/hr
|
$38,130
|
| Connecticut |
$18.15/hr
|
$37,750
|
| Nebraska |
$18.09/hr
|
$37,630
|
| Virginia |
$17.67/hr
|
$36,760
|
| Delaware |
$17.47/hr
|
$36,350
|
| New York |
$17.23/hr
|
$35,850
|
| Tennessee |
$16.81/hr
|
$34,970
|
| Montana |
$16.49/hr
|
$34,290
|
| Kansas |
$16.33/hr
|
$33,960
|
| Arkansas |
$16.15/hr
|
$33,590
|
| Puerto Rico |
$15.79/hr
|
$32,840
|
| North Carolina |
$15.69/hr
|
$32,630
|
| New Mexico |
$15.47/hr
|
$32,180
|
| Utah |
$15.46/hr
|
$32,150
|
| Wyoming |
$15.46/hr
|
$32,150
|
| Hawaii |
$15.45/hr
|
$32,130
|
| Iowa |
$15.33/hr
|
$31,880
|
| District of Columbia |
$15.31/hr
|
$31,840
|
| South Carolina |
$15.31/hr
|
$31,840
|
| Washington |
$15.27/hr
|
$31,770
|
| New Hampshire |
$15.21/hr
|
$31,630
|
| Maryland |
$15.12/hr
|
$31,440
|
| Maine |
$15.07/hr
|
$31,350
|
| West Virginia |
$15.05/hr
|
$31,310
|
| Michigan |
$15/hr
|
$31,210
|
| Louisiana |
$14.94/hr
|
$31,080
|
| Kentucky |
$14.9/hr
|
$30,990
|
| Guam |
$14.87/hr
|
$30,930
|
| Ohio |
$14.85/hr
|
$30,890
|
| New Jersey |
$14.81/hr
|
$30,800
|
| Oregon |
$14.78/hr
|
$30,750
|
| Wisconsin |
$14.76/hr
|
$30,710
|
| California |
$14.66/hr
|
$30,500
|
| Pennsylvania |
$14.61/hr
|
$30,380
|
| South Dakota |
$14.51/hr
|
$30,190
|
| Idaho |
$14.32/hr
|
$29,790
|
| Alabama |
$13.85/hr
|
$28,800
|
| Massachusetts |
$13.73/hr
|
$28,550
|
| Nevada |
$12.72/hr
|
$26,460
|
