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Hospitals and Health Systems
HCA Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars
These workers turn patient charts into codes, records, and reports that hospitals, insurers, and public health teams actually use. The job is distinct because it mixes clinical documentation with reimbursement rules, data quality, and privacy controls. The tradeoff is that the work is highly detailed and repetitive, and a small mistake can affect billing, reporting, or compliance.
Also known as Health Information TechnicianMedical Records TechnicianHealth Information SpecialistMedical RegistrarClinical Data Registrar
Median Salary
$67,310
Mean $73,410
U.S. Workforce
~38K
3.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+14.7%
41.9K to 48.1K
Entry Education
Associate's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~38K workers, with a median annual pay of $67,310 and roughly 3.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 41.9 K in 2024 to 48.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Associate's degree in health information technology, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Medical Records Clerk and can progress toward Health Information Manager. High-value skills usually include Medical Coding Systems, ICD-10 & DRG Assignment, Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Disease Classification, and EHR/EMR Systems (Epic, Oracle Health, MEDITECH), paired with soft skills such as Attention to detail, Organization, and Communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Review patient charts and assign the codes and payment categories used for billing and reporting.
- Pull together information on treatments, surgeries, hospital use, and patient counts for statistical reports.
- Enter, clean, and maintain patient data in electronic health record systems and related databases.
- Build or adjust healthcare databases so they stay secure, fast, and dependable.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Review patient charts and assign the codes and payment categories used for billing and reporting.
02 Pull together information on treatments, surgeries, hospital use, and patient counts for statistical reports.
03 Enter, clean, and maintain patient data in electronic health record systems and related databases.
04 Build or adjust healthcare databases so they stay secure, fast, and dependable.
05 Check current record systems for problems and recommend upgrades or fixes when something is inefficient or outdated.
06 Create privacy and security training materials, and help supervise records staff so data is handled consistently.
Industries That Hire
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Health Insurance and Managed Care
UnitedHealth Group, Cigna, CVS Health
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EHR and Health Software Vendors
Epic Systems, Oracle Health, MEDITECH
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Government and Public Health
CDC, CMS, Veterans Health Administration
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Outpatient Clinics and Medical Groups
Kaiser Permanente, One Medical, Intermountain Health
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for a role that usually starts with an associate's degree: median annual pay is $67,310 and mean pay is $73,410.
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Job growth is healthy, with employment projected to rise 14.7% by 2034 and about 3.2K openings a year.
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The work mixes healthcare, data, and systems work, so it is more varied than a basic filing or clerical job.
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No work experience or on-the-job training is required, which lowers the barrier to getting started.
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The role can lead into coding, privacy, analytics, or management, so the skills can carry into several directions.
Challenges
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A lot of the work is repetitive and detail-heavy, with long stretches spent checking codes, records, and reports for small errors.
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Pay can level off unless you move into supervision, management, or a more specialized analytics or IT role.
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Software and automated coding tools can absorb some of the routine work, which can reduce demand for the simplest tasks over time.
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Mistakes can affect reimbursement, public health reporting, or patient privacy, so the job carries real compliance pressure.
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Even though the job has no experience requirement, many employers still want people who already know hospital systems or have a credential, which can make it harder to break in.
Career Progression
Medical Records Clerk
0-2 years
$35K-$46K
Handles basic filing, record requests, data entry, and chart preparation while learning hospital workflows and privacy rules.
Health Information Technician
2-4 years
$47K-$62K
Reviews charts, codes routine records, and helps keep patient data accurate and complete.
Health Information Technologist and Medical Registrar THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$63K-$82K
Codes records, prepares reports, supports database and system work, and may help train staff or supervise clerical tasks.
Senior HIM Analyst / HIM Supervisor
8-12 years
$83K-$108K
Oversees data quality, leads coding or records teams, and improves workflows, compliance, and reporting.
Health Information Manager
12+ years
$109K-$145K
Leads the health information department, sets policy, manages staff, and works with finance, IT, and clinical leaders.
Education Paths
Associate's degree in health information technology
This is the typical entry point for the role and matches the job's associate's-degree requirement.
Postsecondary certificate in medical coding or health information
A certificate can be enough for some employers if you already have records, coding, or office experience.
Bachelor's degree in health information management or health informatics
Some employers prefer a four-year degree for more technical, analyst-heavy, or supervisory openings.
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) or coding credential
A certification can strengthen an application when paired with experience in medical records, coding, or compliance.
Key Skills
Technical
Medical Coding Systems, ICD-10 & DRG Assignment 94%
Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Disease Classification 92%
EHR/EMR Systems (Epic, Oracle Health, MEDITECH) 86%
HIPAA Privacy, Security & Compliance 84%
Data Quality Auditing & Abstracting 82%
SQL, Databases & Reporting 74%
Microsoft Excel, Access & Spreadsheet Reporting 70%
Workflow Improvement & Systems Testing 66%
Soft Skills
Attention to detailOrganizationCommunicationDiscretionProblem-solvingTime management Job Outlook and Trends
+14.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 41.9K to 48.1 K over the next decade, representing 14.7% growth. Around 3.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.