Certification

• Most medical billers begin with an associate degree, though a bachelor's degree will usually lead to making more money. Credentials and certification are available from organizations such as the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), while medical billers who wish to specialize in coding can earn coding credentials from the Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists (PAHCS). Credentials to become a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) are available through the National Cancer Registrars Association.
  
  

Yearly Salary

• Medical billers make $33,880 per year on average in the U.S. The median salary earned is $31,290, with billers in the bottom 10 percent earning $20,850 and those in the top 10 percent earning $51,510. This estimate includes all medical records and health information technicians, who are responsible for processing and reporting patient records and bills.
  
  

Employment Levels

• The three most common medical facilities that employ medical billers are hospitals, physicians offices and nursing care facilities. At hospitals, the average salary for billers is $35,870, while those at nursing care facilities earn $33,100. Those at the offices of physicians earn the lowest wages at $28,460 per year. In terms of location, South Dakota has the highest concentration of medical billers, working for an annual mean salary of $31,310. Alaska and Mississippi also have high concentrations of medical billers and pay average salaries of $39,490 and $26,460, respectively. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009)
  
  

High Salaries

• In terms of industry, the highest wages for medical billers are found in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, in which billers earn an average of $61,210 per year. Those working in business, professional and similar organizations earn above average at $45,850, as do billers employed by the federal executive branch earning $45,120 per year. The top-paying state for billers is New Jersey at $45,750 annually, followed by Hawaii and the District of Columbia at $41,340 and $41,290, respectively. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009)