Education

• Most coding specialists start out in entry-level positions with an associate degree, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics points out that most employers prefer those who have a registered health information technicians (RHIT) credential. A bachelor's degree is one way for a billing and coding specialist to boost her income; another is to earn special certification. For example, the Board of Medical Specialty Coding (BMSC) and the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) offer specialty credentials that can help specialists advance in their field.
  
  

Salary

• The average salary for billing and coding workers is $33,880 or $16.29 an hour, while the median salary is $31,290 or $15.04 an hour. However, medical billing and coding specialists can potentially earn more; those in the 75th percentile earned $40,540 a year or $19.49 an hour, while those in the 90th percentile earned $51,510 a year or $24.76 an hour.
  
  

Industry

• The industry in which medical billing and coding specialists stand to earn the most money is that of pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, which pays an average salary of $61,210 or hourly rate of $29.43. Those in the industry of business, professional, labor, political and similar organizations earn $45,850 a year or $22.05 an hour, while those working for the federal executive branch earn $45,120 a year or $21.69 an hour. In comparison, most coding specialists are found at hospitals or doctor's offices, earning $35,870 at the former and $28,460 at the latter.
  
  

Location

• The five top-paying cities in the U.S. for medical billing and coding specialists are located in New Jersey and California. Newark, New Brunswick and Vineland, N.J., and San Jose and San Francisco, Calif., offer the highest wages in the country, averaging between $43,890 and $51,390. Other areas with competitively high wages for billing specialists include Hawaii at $41,340, Washington D.C. at $41,290, Alaska at $39,490 and Maryland at $39,330.