JobAfterNext

Medical Records Specialists

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$51,140
Employment, U.S.194,720
Median hourly wage$24.59
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$37,000$43,490$51,140$64,820$81,150
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama2,330$43,8100.88
Alaska1,070$61,0902.64
Arizona3,750$47,6300.93
Arkansas1,920$41,7401.18
California18,700$61,8100.82
Colorado1,780$59,0200.49
Connecticut1,120$60,9400.53
Delaware610$56,0601.01
District of Columbia270$72,0400.30
Florida21,490$45,7601.73
Georgia5,930$51,5500.97
Hawaii400$63,1800.51
Idaho1,490$53,4601.39
Illinois5,740$56,4400.75
Indiana5,860$47,6701.46
Iowa2,250$50,6401.15
Kansas2,030$48,1601.13
Kentucky4,210$48,4101.68
Louisiana2,600$44,6101.07
Maine1,000$52,0901.25
Maryland2,440$54,2200.71
Massachusetts3,500$60,3500.77
Michigan4,890$48,1200.89
Minnesota3,150$61,5300.85
Mississippi2,310$41,5001.58
Missouri3,890$50,7501.06
Montana820$50,1901.27
Nebraska1,640$51,6701.28
Nevada2,350$50,3001.21
New Hampshire930$49,2101.09
New Jersey4,450$50,2400.83
New Mexico1,400$57,4701.28
New York9,080$61,7200.75
North Carolina6,760$49,6201.09
North Dakota520$46,2800.98
Ohio7,440$50,9901.07
Oklahoma2,480$53,4601.16
Oregon2,560$59,0001.04
Pennsylvania6,970$46,8400.92
Rhode Island650$63,9601.03
South Carolina2,750$54,2800.95
South Dakota900$51,6101.57
Tennessee4,440$48,7801.08
Texas17,210$48,8600.98
Utah1,910$52,8700.88
Vermont$57,560
Virginia4,630$53,2900.90
Washington5,010$62,2701.13
West Virginia1,260$47,3601.43
Wisconsin2,870$60,2800.78
Wyoming280$54,2100.79

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive1-20.973
2File Clerks1-20.970
3Court, Municipal, and License Clerks1-20.969
4Office Clerks, General1-20.967
5Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks1-20.964
6Librarians and Media Collections Specialists50.961
7Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants30.961
8Receptionists and Information Clerks1-20.959
9Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants30.959
10Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators40.958

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Medical Records Specialists, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Court, Municipal, and License ClerksActive Listening0.760.969
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsActive Listening0.880.961
Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanActive Listening0.880.957
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk ClerksManagement of Personnel Resources0.880.955
Procurement ClerksActive Listening0.880.955
Bill and Account CollectorsPersuasion1.240.944
Billing and Posting ClerksMathematics1.120.938
Customer Service RepresentativesActive Listening0.880.932

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Medical Records Specialists, excluding software Medical Records Specialists already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Zoom8 of 207.1x
Filing system software4 of 2046.2x
Intuit QuickBooks9 of 204.9x
ADP Workforce Now6 of 2010.7x
Google Workspace software6 of 2010.7x
Microsoft Publisher9 of 204.4x
Oracle PeopleSoft8 of 204.7x
Appointment scheduling software5 of 2011.5x
LexisNexis7 of 205.7x
Electronic health record EHR software4 of 2018.5x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.62 3.25
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.38 3.25
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.25 3.12
SpeakingEssential skill 3.12 3.25
WritingEssential skill 3.12 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.12 2.88
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Active LearningEssential skill 3.00 2.88
MonitoringEssential skill 3.00 2.88
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.00 2.62
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.00 2.62
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.00 2.50
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.88 2.62
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.75 2.38
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.62 2.38
InstructingTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.38 2.38
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.38 2.12
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
MathematicsEssential skill 2.25 1.88
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 2.25 1.38
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.25 1.38
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.88 1.25
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.62 0.88
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.50 0.88
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Administrative 4.25 5.33
English Language 4.06 4.13
Customer and Personal Service 4.00 4.99
Computers and Electronics 3.52 3.76
Administration and Management 3.33 3.57
Communications and Media 2.92 2.82
Public Safety and Security 2.89 2.81
Education and Training 2.70 3.13
Personnel and Human Resources 2.69 2.95
Law and Government 2.54 2.70
Medicine and Dentistry 2.43 1.53
Economics and Accounting 2.40 2.55
Telecommunications 2.38 1.82
Mathematics 2.37 2.57
Engineering and Technology 1.99 2.04
Therapy and Counseling 1.98 1.42
Sales and Marketing 1.96not rated
Psychology 1.87 1.58
Production and Processing 1.84 1.72
Sociology and Anthropology 1.80 1.42
Transportation 1.77 1.55
Biology 1.61not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.49 1.02
Foreign Language 1.37not rated
Mechanical 1.31not rated
Chemistry 1.28not rated
Food Production 1.25not rated
Geography 1.23not rated
Fine Arts 1.17not rated
Building and Construction 1.16not rated
Design 1.11not rated
History and Archeology 1.11not rated
Physics 1.08not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Written Comprehension 3.88 3.50
Oral Comprehension 3.75 3.50
Near Vision 3.62 3.75
Information Ordering 3.50 3.38
Category Flexibility 3.50 3.25
Oral Expression 3.38 3.12
Speech Recognition 3.25 3.12
Written Expression 3.25 3.12
Deductive Reasoning 3.12 2.88
Selective Attention 3.12 2.88
Speech Clarity 3.12 2.75
Inductive Reasoning 3.00 2.88
Problem Sensitivity 2.88 3.00
Perceptual Speed 2.62 2.75
Time Sharing 2.62 2.50
Far Vision 2.50 2.50
Flexibility of Closure 2.50 2.50
Fluency of Ideas 2.38 2.50
Originality 2.25 2.25
Speed of Closure 2.25 2.12
Auditory Attention 2.25 2.00
Memorization 2.25 2.00
Manual Dexterity 2.25 1.62
Visualization 2.12 1.88
Trunk Strength 2.12 1.62
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.12 1.50
Control Precision 2.12 1.50
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.12 1.12
Mathematical Reasoning 2.00 1.62
Number Facility 2.00 1.62
Visual Color Discrimination 2.00 1.62
Finger Dexterity 2.00 1.25
Hearing Sensitivity 1.88 1.38
Depth Perception 1.62 0.88
Dynamic Strength 1.62 0.75
Stamina 1.62 0.62
Explosive Strength 1.50 0.50
Gross Body Coordination 1.50 0.50
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.50 0.50
Dynamic Flexibility 1.12not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.12not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.12not rated
Rate Control 1.12not rated
Reaction Time 1.12not rated
Response Orientation 1.12not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.12not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.12not rated
Static Strength 1.12not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 109
  • ComChart EMR
  • Computerized indexing systems
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Cyber Records MediChart Express
  • DRG grouping software
  • Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine DICOM medical imaging software
  • EHS CareRevolution
  • Eko
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Electronic medical record EMR systems
  • Email software
  • Encoded archival system EAD
  • Encoder software
  • EndoSoft
  • Entity Management Software
  • Fox Meadows Accent Data Manager
  • Fox Meadows ChartingPlus
  • Fox Meadows EncounterManager
  • GE Healthcare Logician
  • Graphics software
  • Greenway Medical Technologies PrimeChart
  • HMS
  • Health Care Data HealthProbe
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Holt Systems eMedRec
  • Hyland Software OnBase
  • IBM Cognos Impromptu
  • IBM InfoSphere DataStage
  • IBM Lotus 1-2-3
  • IDX Systems IDXtend
  • IDX Systems Patient Chart Tracking
  • Information Resource Products Clinical Coding Expert
  • Laserfiche software
  • LeonardoMD Renaissance
  • MD Synergy Medical Appointment Scheduling
  • MedStar Systems DrWorks
  • Mediasoft mediOFFICE
  • MedicWare EMR
  • Medical condition coding software
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • MicroStrategy
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript
  • Minitab
  • NCG Medical Systems d-Chart
  • NDCMedisoft
  • NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
  • PCC EHR
  • PCC Pediatric Partner
  • PowerMed
  • Practice Partner Patient Records
  • Purkinje Dossier
  • QMSoftware Receivables Management
  • Qlik Tech QlikView
  • Quest Erwin Data Modeler
  • SAP Business Objects
  • SAP Crystal Reports
  • SOAPware EMR
  • STAT! Systems QD Clinical
  • ScanSoft Naturally Speaking
  • Scantron imaging software
  • Scheduling software
  • Siemens Soarian Financials
  • Siemens Soarian Scheduling
  • SoftMed ChartLocater
  • SoftMed ChartRelease
  • SoftMed ChartReserve
  • Speech recognition software
  • StataCorp Stata
  • SynaMed EMR
  • VantageMed ChartKeeper
  • Virtual private networking VPN software
  • Visionary Medical Systems Visionary OFFICE PM
  • Voice dictation software
  • Web browser software
  • Welford Chart Notes
  • e-MDs topsChart
  • eMDs Practice Partner

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Fairbanks-College, AK1904.22$61,090
Greenville, NC3903.86$62,570
Muncie, IN1702.96$43,160
Iowa City, IA3302.79$66,340
Anchorage, AK6102.76$60,620
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH4702.68$52,000
Midland, MI1202.67$52,050
Hattiesburg, MS2002.54$43,600
Evansville, IN4202.47$49,070
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC1302.37$47,360

More metros, other thresholds