According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health information technologists and medical registrars earn an average salary of $70,260 per year ( $33.78 per hour).* Earn enough education and experience in HIM and you can potentially qualify for management-level positions, which typically offer significantly higher pay than entry-level positions.
Considering the very positive employment outlook (an expected 17% increase from 2022-2032 , according to the BLS), it’s a great time to consider taking the first step towards joining the field of health information management.
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There are two primary certifications for HIM professionals, both from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA): Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).
According to a salary survey from AHIMA (2019), RHIT and RHIA certified professionals earn higher average salaries than the latest BLS estimates:
Annual salaries can be more highly variable in your first years in the HIM industry and are less likely to approach average levels. However, after 3-6 years, surveyed salaries stabilize and begin to rise more consistently with experience levels.
Those who work in medical billing and coding, who may be referred to as medical records specialists, play a key role in the healthcare revenue cycle, ensuring Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are assembled accurately and entered into health information systems properly. They communicate with healthcare staff, insurance companies, and patients to best represent services provided (coding) and secure payment for those services (billers).
Health Information Management professionals (sometimes referred to as Health Information Technology – HIT) are responsible for maintaining, analyzing, and optimizing these systems. Their role is more on the backend, emphasizing informatics and Information Technology (IT). These professionals create, manage, and analyze the systems billers and coders rely on to maintain the Electronic Health Record (EHR). They can also play a wider role in data analysis, management, protection, and administration of patient health information.
Given the increased demand in the industry, wide range of jobs you can pursue and the average salary you can earn, going back to school and earning your degree in HIM is definitely worth it. It’s a field with high growth potential and excellent career mobility.
With Herzing University you are never alone. It’s our goal to provide all students an affordable, career-driven education. Financial aid options include:
You can find an estimate for tuition and expenses by using the Herzing University tuition wizard.
Finding your place and succeeding in your career depends on your strengths in relation to the skills needed in health information management, including:
Because of the increased need for data-driven decision making and growth of information technology in healthcare, health information managers must be adept on the execution or managerial side of day-do-day tasks. Those strong on both sides can find great career success in HIM.
The primary difference is:
Both fields combine high-level business and day-to-day functions of a healthcare environment to support the delivery of excellent patient care.
With Herzing University, you have several potential options to consider:
