Medical Records Specialist salary in the U.S.
Medical Records Specialists in the U.S. earn a median of $51,140 a year ($24.59 an hour), based on BLS data for 194,720 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,150 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $56,790, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for medical records specialists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,000 | $17.79 |
| 25th percentile | $43,490 | $20.91 |
| Median | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| 75th percentile | $64,820 | $31.17 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,150 | $39.01 |
| Average (mean) | $56,790 | $27.30 |
Half of medical records specialists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,261.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,130.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,966.92 |
| Weekly | $983.46 |
| Hourly | $24.59 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Medical Records Specialist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $72,040 | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $63,960 | 650 |
| Hawaii | $63,180 | 400 |
| Washington | $62,270 | 5,010 |
| California | $61,810 | 18,700 |
| New York | $61,720 | 9,080 |
| Minnesota | $61,530 | 3,150 |
| Alaska | $61,090 | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $60,940 | 1,120 |
| Massachusetts | $60,350 | 3,500 |
| Wisconsin | $60,280 | 2,870 |
| Colorado | $59,020 | 1,780 |
| Oregon | $59,000 | 2,560 |
| Vermont | $57,560 | n/a |
| New Mexico | $57,470 | 1,400 |
| Illinois | $56,440 | 5,740 |
| Delaware | $56,060 | 610 |
| South Carolina | $54,280 | 2,750 |
| Maryland | $54,220 | 2,440 |
| Wyoming | $54,210 | 280 |
| Idaho | $53,460 | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $53,460 | 2,480 |
| Virginia | $53,290 | 4,630 |
| Utah | $52,870 | 1,910 |
| Maine | $52,090 | 1,000 |
| Nebraska | $51,670 | 1,640 |
| South Dakota | $51,610 | 900 |
| Georgia | $51,550 | 5,930 |
| Ohio | $50,990 | 7,440 |
| Missouri | $50,750 | 3,890 |
| Iowa | $50,640 | 2,250 |
| Nevada | $50,300 | 2,350 |
| New Jersey | $50,240 | 4,450 |
| Montana | $50,190 | 820 |
| North Carolina | $49,620 | 6,760 |
| New Hampshire | $49,210 | 930 |
| Texas | $48,860 | 17,210 |
| Tennessee | $48,780 | 4,440 |
| Kentucky | $48,410 | 4,210 |
| Kansas | $48,160 | 2,030 |
| Michigan | $48,120 | 4,890 |
| Indiana | $47,670 | 5,860 |
| Arizona | $47,630 | 3,750 |
| West Virginia | $47,360 | 1,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,840 | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $46,280 | 520 |
| Florida | $45,760 | 21,490 |
| Louisiana | $44,610 | 2,600 |
| Alabama | $43,810 | 2,330 |
| Arkansas | $41,740 | 1,920 |
| Mississippi | $41,500 | 2,310 |
| Guam | $38,470 | 70 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,990 | 1,850 |
Best-paying metro areas for medical records specialists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $86,890 | 920 |
| Vallejo, CA | $82,230 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $75,150 | 1,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $74,400 | 1,880 |
| New Haven, CT | $67,290 | 220 |
| Iowa City, IA | $66,340 | 330 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $65,730 | 750 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $65,680 | 60 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,530 | 2,830 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $65,220 | 310 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $64,590 | 70 |
| Corvallis, OR | $64,450 | 100 |
| Appleton, WI | $63,510 | 100 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $63,360 | 100 |
| Bend, OR | $62,980 | 220 |
Metro areas with the most medical records specialists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 8,090 | $61,190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,240 | $59,110 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,210 | $52,140 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,530 | $49,010 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,510 | $57,970 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,680 | $51,250 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,260 | $49,700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,830 | $65,530 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,790 | $58,950 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,630 | $60,460 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,480 | $47,450 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2,450 | $50,020 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,370 | $58,810 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 2,320 | $44,590 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,900 | $46,730 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | $30.96 |
| Pharmacy Technician | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $62,930 | $30.26 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | $38.52 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $50,290 | $24.18 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $47,380 | $22.78 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Paramedic | $60,600 | $29.13 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 | $46.44 |
| Opticians, Dispensing | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technician | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | $35.73 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-2072. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical records specialist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for medical records specialists in the U.S. is $51,140 a year, or $24.59 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,150 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid medical records specialists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of medical records specialists in the U.S. earn at least $81,150 a year. The top 25% earn $64,820 or more.
What is the starting pay for medical records specialists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,000 a year, and a quarter of medical records specialists earn $43,490 or less.
How many medical records specialists work in the U.S.?
About 194,720 medical records specialists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.