Contents
- 1 Make a Career in Medical Billing
- 2 Average Medical Billing Salary by Percentiles
- 3 Highest Paying Industries for Medical Billing Professionals
- 4 States with the Highest Salaries for Medical Billing
- 5 Worst States for Medical Billing Wages
- 6 Top Paying Metropolitan Areas for Medical Billing
- 7 Top Paying Non-Metropolitan Areas for Medical Billing
- 8 Highest Medical Billing Employment Levels
- 9 Job Outlook
- 10 What do Medical Billers do?
- 11 How to Become a Medical Biller
- 12 Opportunities for Growth
Make a Career in Medical Billing
Medical billing is one aspect of medical facilities that is often overshadowed by doctors, nurses, surgical assistants, medical technologists and so on. However, it is as important a part of the process as any other, and can provide a decent medical billing salary.
Average Medical Billing Salary by Percentiles
The average medical billing salary in the United States is nearly $38,000 annually. Hourly wages range from $11 in the lower percentile to $28 in the upper. The median salary is $35k per year, or $2.9k per month, or $670 per week.
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $10.91 | $13.22 | $16.83 | $21.78 | $27.55 |
| Weekly Wage | $437 | $529 | $673 | $871 | $1,102 |
| Monthly Salary | $1,892 | $2,292 | $2,917 | $3,775 | $4,775 |
| Annual Salary | $22,700 | $27,500 | $35,000 | $45,300 | $57,300 |
Highest Paying Industries for Medical Billing Professionals
The highest paying industry is management of companies and enterprises, which consists of insurance carriers and brokers. This top industry for medical billing averaged $83k per year, which is about $40 an hour.
| Rank | Industries | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Employment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $40.00 | $1,600 | $6,933 | $83,200 | 10,000 |
| 2 | Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | $39.23 | $1,569 | $6,800 | $81,600 | 180 |
| 3 | Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services | $36.15 | $1,446 | $6,267 | $75,200 | N/A |
| 4 | Health and Personal Care Stores | $33.94 | $1,358 | $5,883 | $70,600 | 1,000 |
| 5 | Other Information Services | $29.04 | $1,162 | $5,033 | $60,400 | N/A |
| 6 | Chemical Manufacturing | $25.43 | $1,017 | $4,408 | $52,900 | 40 |
| 7 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $25.43 | $1,017 | $4,408 | $52,900 | 40 |
| 8 | Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $23.51 | $940 | $4,075 | $48,900 | 30 |
| 9 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $23.08 | $923 | $4,000 | $48,000 | 400 |
| 10 | Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers | $23.03 | $921 | $3,992 | $47,900 | 400 |
States with the Highest Salaries for Medical Billing
By far, New Jersey had the highest wages for medical billing at $58k a year. California was a distant 2nd with $44k annual salary, but employed the most number of medical billers with 17k. Click here, for an entire list of states.
| Rank | Salaries by States | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Employment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $27.64 | $1,106 | $4,792 | $57,500 | 2,000 |
| 2 | California | $21.30 | $852 | $3,692 | $44,300 | 17,000 |
| 3 | Colorado | $21.11 | $844 | $3,658 | $43,900 | 2,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $20.48 | $819 | $3,550 | $42,600 | 1,000 |
| 5 | Alaska | $20.29 | $812 | $3,517 | $42,200 | 600 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $20.00 | $800 | $3,467 | $41,600 | 6,000 |
| 7 | Maryland | $19.95 | $798 | $3,458 | $41,500 | 3,000 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $19.90 | $796 | $3,450 | $41,400 | 400 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $19.86 | $794 | $3,442 | $41,300 | 3,000 |
| 10 | New York | $19.76 | $790 | $3,425 | $41,100 | 9,000 |
Worst States for Medical Billing Wages
All ten of the worst states to work as a medical billing professional paid between an average of $30k-$33k per year. The lowest paying states were Mississippi, Alabama, and North Dakota.
| Rank | Salaries by States | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Employment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $14.42 | $577 | $2,500 | $30,000 | 2,000 |
| 2 | Alabama | $14.81 | $592 | $2,567 | $30,800 | 3,000 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $15.38 | $615 | $2,667 | $32,000 | 700 |
| 4 | Arkansas | $15.48 | $619 | $2,683 | $32,200 | 2,000 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $15.63 | $625 | $2,708 | $32,500 | 3,000 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $15.72 | $629 | $2,725 | $32,700 | 1,000 |
| 7 | Utah | $15.87 | $635 | $2,750 | $33,000 | 2,000 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $15.87 | $635 | $2,750 | $33,000 | 3,000 |
| 9 | Montana | $15.96 | $638 | $2,767 | $33,200 | 1,000 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $16.01 | $640 | $2,775 | $33,300 | 3,000 |
Top Paying Metropolitan Areas for Medical Billing
Newark and Union were the highest paying major metropolitan cities averaging $60k a year in wages.
| Rank | Metropolitan Cities | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Employment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark-Union, NJ-PA | $28.94 | $1,158 | $5,017 | $60,200 | 600 |
| 2 | Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA | $27.45 | $1,098 | $4,758 | $57,100 | 1,000 |
| 3 | Edison-New Brunswick, NJ | $27.21 | $1,088 | $4,717 | $56,600 | 400 |
| 4 | Camden, NJ | $26.01 | $1,040 | $4,508 | $54,100 | 300 |
| 5 | San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA | $25.82 | $1,033 | $4,475 | $53,700 | N/A |
| 6 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $24.47 | $979 | $4,242 | $50,900 | 2,000 |
| 7 | Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA | $22.36 | $894 | $3,875 | $46,500 | 1,000 |
| 8 | New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ | $22.16 | $887 | $3,842 | $46,100 | 4,000 |
| 9 | Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA | $21.49 | $860 | $3,725 | $44,700 | 2,000 |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA | $21.01 | $840 | $3,642 | $43,700 | 3,000 |
Top Paying Non-Metropolitan Areas for Medical Billing
Non-metropolitan areas paid considerably less than their larger counterparts. The average medical billing salary in the top paying suburban area was North Central Colorado at $44k annually.
| Rank | Non-Metropolitan Areas | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Employment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central Colorado | $20.96 | $838 | $3,633 | $43,600 | 50 |
| 2 | Western New Hampshire | $20.38 | $815 | $3,533 | $42,400 | 200 |
| 3 | Southeast Alaska | $20.34 | $813 | $3,525 | $42,300 | 40 |
| 4 | Southern Vermont | $20.19 | $808 | $3,500 | $42,000 | 200 |
| 5 | Mother Lode Region of California | $19.90 | $796 | $3,450 | $41,400 | 80 |
| 6 | Eastern and Southern Colorado | $19.52 | $781 | $3,383 | $40,600 | 100 |
| 7 | Western Colorado | $19.52 | $781 | $3,383 | $40,600 | 70 |
| 8 | Northern Mountains Region of California | $19.47 | $779 | $3,375 | $40,500 | 90 |
| 9 | Railbelt / Southwest Alaska | $19.38 | $775 | $3,358 | $40,300 | 100 |
| 10 | West Central Wisconsin | $19.38 | $775 | $3,358 | $40,300 | 300 |
Highest Medical Billing Employment Levels
California and Texas topped the list for having the most employed medical biller, both tied at about 17k. In third was Florida with 10k employed.
| Rank | States | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Employment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $21.30 | $852 | $3,692 | $44,300 | 17,000 |
| 2 | Texas | $17.79 | $712 | $3,083 | $37,000 | 17,000 |
| 3 | Florida | $17.26 | $690 | $2,992 | $35,900 | 10,000 |
| 4 | New York | $19.76 | $790 | $3,425 | $41,100 | 9,000 |
| 5 | Ohio | $17.64 | $706 | $3,058 | $36,700 | 8,000 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $17.02 | $681 | $2,950 | $35,400 | 8,000 |
| 7 | Illinois | $17.98 | $719 | $3,117 | $37,400 | 8,000 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $20.00 | $800 | $3,467 | $41,600 | 6,000 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $16.59 | $663 | $2,875 | $34,500 | 5,000 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $16.30 | $652 | $2,825 | $33,900 | 5,000 |
Job Outlook
Medical billers along with related professions are expected to grow over 20% over the next decade. This pace is nearly double that of all jobs in the US.
| Employment Projections Data for Medical Billers | |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2012 | 186,000 |
| Projected Employment, 2022 | 228,000 |
| Employment Difference: | 42,000 |
| Medical Billers | 22% |
| Health Technicians | 24% |
| Total, All Occupations | 11% |
What do Medical Billers do?
When patients undergo medical procedures or examinations, the medical facility does not just work with the patient, but it must interact with the patient’s insurance company as well. The medical billing professional is responsible for submitting and following up on these claims to health care providers so the medical facility can receive payments for their services.
The process requires medical billers to learn various codes, each of which pertains to different diagnosis, medications and symptoms. This is a must for processing the claims properly.
The primary job of a medical biller is to make sure that the revenue process runs in a smooth and efficient manner. Once these services are performed, medical billers must also assign codes to bills for proper tracking. This requires these professionals to be proficient coders who work in a highly detailed environment where a typo in a code can lead to significant loss of income. It is because of this that the salary of medical billers can get quite high.
Many of these medical billers and coders work within the coder environment. They need to have worked with computers, telephones and other means of communication within the facility. Working hours for medical billers vary from one facility to the other but most of them work for about 40 hours in a week during standard hours. Then again, there are also those who work on a part-time basis.
The size and nature of the organization you work with determines the kind of work you will be expected to carry out. For example, some medical billers may undertake coding activities or may also be responsible for helping out patients. The job gets pretty challenging, however, because it includes interaction with patients, their relatives and friends with varying tempers and levels of frustration brought about by these financial situations.
How to Become a Medical Biller
Medical billers require a mix of the right educational qualification, training, licensing and last, but not the least, the right set of personality traits and qualities to pull off the job in the appropriate fashion.
The following are some of the technical requirements for medical billers:
1. Education
Anyone holding a high school diploma or a GED certificate of equal value can pursue medical billing as a career. Courses for medical billing are often not found in your typical degree program at a college.
You can take these courses online, however, if you are looking for a course in medical billing, make sure to pick an institution that is accredited and reliable. It always helps if the institution has a long history of training medical billers, or specializes in it.
Again, if you have still not completed high school and have already decided in this career, you have a chance to lay a solid foundation. Pick subjects such as accounting, computers, math, business and communication to make the most of the opportunities in medical billing. As with any other career, having more education can only improve your medical billing salary prospects.
2. Training
Once you are done with high school, you will be required to pick up some basic training at a medical organization. To begin with, you will need to familiarize yourself with a whole lot of medical terms and the process of diagnosis. You must understand and memorize medical coding.
Again, you will also need to get familiar with the regulations and laws of the state you are looking to work in. Apart from this, a detailed understanding about major insurance plans is also a must.
While a certified course for medical billing will prepare you for the job quite well, it is inevitable that you will pick up quite a lot of skills on the job as well. Again, you may also be required to be a part of ongoing and continuous educational courses. The more training and experience you have, the higher your medical billing salary can get.
3. Certification and licensing
While federal and state laws do not ask for certificates, most employers looking for medical billers always prefer candidates with the appropriate certification or licensing.
You can take up a course in medical billing from a reputed institution to ensure that you are well prepared to take the Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist Exam. Even after you receive the relevant licensing and certification, it is important that you stay abreast of all the developments in the field.
4. Qualities and skills
Apart from all these technical requirements, you will need some inbred skills and qualities to make a successful medical biller. You must be comfortable with computers and the many software tools required for the job. You must have good math skills and must also excel in communication and organization.
Detail-orientation is another favorable quality in any medical biller as the details are very important. You will need to communicate effectively with patients, physicians as well as insurance companies on a regular basis.
Opportunities for Growth
When it comes to career advancements, medical billers can look forward to managerial positions after putting in some good work. Interestingly, many medical billers that have the proper experience and skills have started their own home business giving them freedom and flexibility in their schedules.
Make sure to network and get in touch with other medical billers in the field to make the most of your opportunities. It is important to be personable and build a strong network to maximize your potential and opportunities in the industry. It will not only help you get your foot in the door, but it will allow you to be more selective of which job you take, so that you can negotiate a higher medical billing salary.