Medical Records Specialists
SOC 29-2072 · 2024-2034
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.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
What California expects of this job
- Typical pay in California
- $63,540per year
- Projected openings
- 15,610
- Projected change
- +15%
- Usually needs
- Postsecondary non-degree award
Bright Outlook — a U.S. Department of Labor designation
Rapid Growth
The Department's own designation, made from its national projections. It is not this project's assessment and it is not California's: every other figure on this page comes from California's projection, which can point the other way and for some occupations does.
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $89,323 | 690 |
| Vallejo MSA (Solano County) | $77,316 | 160 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | $77,254 | 1,210 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $76,199 | 610 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $75,066 | 1,040 |
| Napa MSA (Napa County) | $63,890 | 40 |
| Stockton-Lodi MSA (San Joaquin County) | $62,781 | 220 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma MSA (Sonoma County) | $62,463 | 110 |
| San Rafael MD (Marin County) | $62,207 | 90 |
| Hanford-Corcoran MSA (Kings County) | $58,529 | 40 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County) | $58,005 | 180 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $57,501 | 1,400 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $56,927 | 4,670 |
| Chico MSA (Butte County) | $55,385 | 60 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | $55,201 | 250 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $54,913 | 1,080 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA (Santa Cruz County) | $53,978 | 60 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region (Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties) | $52,468 | 80 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne Counties) | $52,294 | 40 |
| Fresno MSA (Fresno and Madera Counties) | $52,037 | 330 |
| Salinas MSA (Monterey County) | $52,016 | 150 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $51,682 | 1,660 |
| Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County) | $51,195 | 240 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA (San Luis Obispo County) | $50,948 | 70 |
| North Coast Region (Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino Counties) | $50,650 | 90 |
| Yuba City MSA (Sutter and Yuba Counties) | $50,630 | 40 |
| Redding MSA (Shasta County) | $50,619 | 70 |
| Visalia MSA (Tulare County) | $50,496 | 120 |
| El Centro MSA (Imperial County) | $50,424 | 40 |
| Merced MSA (Merced County) | $49,140 | 70 |
| Modesto MSA (Stanislaus County) | $49,140 | 190 |
What the pay actually ranges across
- The lowest-paid tenth earn under
- $45,026
- A quarter earn under
- $50,372
- Half earn under
- $63,540
- Three quarters earn under
- $82,887
- The highest-paid tenth earn over
- $105,338
A median is one point. These are the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for California, and they say how far apart the people doing this job actually are. Read them as the spread across everyone already in the work — not as a starting wage and not as a promise about where anyone lands.
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| Occupation | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Transcriptionists | $46,191 | 10,290 | -1.7% |
| Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars | $93,290 | 2,650 | +18.8% |
| Medical Assistants | $50,918 | 175,850 | +22.7% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $55,779 | 128,130 | +12.6% |
| File Clerks | $50,200 | 8,840 | -13.3% |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $62,080 | 22,750 | +14.3% |
Programs that train for this job — 75
Medical Assistant and Health Information Technology
East Los Angeles Skills Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $3,502
- Working 6 months later
- 81%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $15,600
Medical Coder
East Los Angeles Skills Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $2,960
- Working 6 months later
- 59%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,960
Medical Biller
East Los Angeles Skills Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $2,220
- Working 6 months later
- 43%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $10,900
Health Information Technology
West Valley Occupational Center - LAUSD · Woodland Hills · $2,484
- Working 6 months later
- 49%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $15,678
Online Medical Billing & Coding Specialist Bootcamp
West Los Angeles College · Culver City · $3,450
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Office Assistant
Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $3,230
- Working 6 months later
- 52%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,960
Medical Records Insurance Biller
Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $5,073
- Working 6 months later
- 74%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $10,900
Medical Billing and Coding
Antelope Valley Adult School · Lancaster · $2,630
- Working 6 months later
- 21%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,550
Medical Coding for Professional Services (AAPC CPC Certification)
Calbright College · Sacramento · $0
- Working 6 months later
- 3%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Assisting / Patient Services Specialist
Stellar Career College · Modesto · $14,000
- Working 6 months later
- 90%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $8,580
Medical Coding
San Juan Adult School - Sunrise Tech · Citrus Heights · $560
- Working 6 months later
- 80%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Office Clerk
Richard N. Slawson Occupational Center - LAUSD · Bell · $1,660
- Working 6 months later
- 67%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $10,499
Medical Biller and Coder
Richard N. Slawson Occupational Center - LAUSD · Bell · $2,635
- Working 6 months later
- 60%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $15,678
Medical Insurance Billing and Coding
Bassett Adult School · La Puente · $3,500
- Working 6 months later
- 68%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $6,000
Medical Biller
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $2,435
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Health Information Clerk II Certificate of Achievement
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $1,458
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Health Information Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $3,181
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Health Information Technology Certificate of Achievement
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $2,424
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Front Office Advanced
Mayfield College, Inc. · Cathedral City · $17,850
- Working 6 months later
- 69%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Billing and Coding (Online self paced, exam voucher included)
California State University San Marcos Extended Learning · San Marcos · $3,295
- Working 6 months later
- 83%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Billing and Coding (Voucher Included)
Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension · Los Angeles · $4,866
- Working 6 months later
- 36%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $6,925
Medical Coding (CPC) Certificate Program
University of La Verne · La Verne · $3,999
- Working 6 months later
- 36%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $13,000
Billing & Coding
Elk Grove Adult and Community Education · Sacramento · $2,999
- Working 6 months later
- 78%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $22,400
Medical Administrative Assistant with Billing and Coding
Elk Grove Adult and Community Education · Sacramento · $5,000
- Working 6 months later
- 70%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $5,515
Healthcare Support Occupations Accelerated
Kern High School District-BAS · Bakersfield · $500
- Working 6 months later
- 78%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $8,125
Healthcare Support Occupations
Kern High School District-BAS · Bakersfield · $500
- Working 6 months later
- 73%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $7,440
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
Martinez Adult Education · Martinez · $2,640
- Working 6 months later
- 70%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,717
Clinical Medical Assisting Certificate
San Joaquin Valley College - Central Administration Office · Visalia · $22,404
- Working 6 months later
- 71%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $17,030
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
Medical Assistant Administrative & Clinical
Healthcare Career College · Paramount · $16,795
- Working 6 months later
- 82%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $9,880
Computerized Medical Biller/Coder
Healthcare Career College · Paramount · $16,795
- Working 6 months later
- 35%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $9,360
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
Southern California Health Institute · North Hollywood · $16,796
- Working 6 months later
- 74%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $9,880
Medical Billing and Insurance Clerk
Liberty Adult Education · Brentwood · $2,845
- Working 6 months later
- 44%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $12,174
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
Liberty Adult Education · Brentwood · $3,580
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Billing and Coding
Valley College of Medical Careers · West Hills · $15,950
- Working 6 months later
- 67%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $9,685
Medical Records Clerk
De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute · Cupertino · $5,459
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
Allied Health Associate of Science Degree
Mendocino College · Ukiah · $6,960
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Billing & Coding
Vallejo Adult School · Fairfield · $1,995
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
Medical Office Assistant
Los Angeles Technology Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $3,108
- Working 6 months later
- 79%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,960
Medical Records Insurance Biller
Los Angeles Technology Center - LAUSD · Los Angeles · $4,538
- Working 6 months later
- 72%
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $10,900
Health Information Data Analysts - Coder Apprenticeship
Rightvarsity Technologies, LLC · San Jose · $11,453
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported