US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
1 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
ahima.org/salarysurvey
US Salary Survey Report:
HIM Professionals in 2019
2 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
*Average survey participant had over 20 years of experience.
DATA ANALYTICS
Employment Analysis
Statistics
FOCUS GROUP
SUMMARY
Employer Survey
REPORT
AHIMA conducted a US salary survey for the health information management
(HIM) profession in the Spring of 2019. Our findings reflect the experiences
and perspectives of more than 3,000 US health information professionals.*
The report is a snapshot of the status of health information professional
compensation in the United States. To enable informed compensation
decisions, please use the findings in combination with additional, highly
respected and credible resources.
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
3 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
Nearly half of the survey respondents work in revenue cycle management, coding professionals,
collections, auditors, and insurance and billing coordinators. Another 27 percent are in operations and
medical records Administration: HIM managers and directors, consultants, administrators, registrars and
technicians. The remaining third of survey respondents work in Compliance and Risk Management;
Clinical Documentation Improvement; Education; Informatics and Data Analytics; IT and Infrastructure.
Respondents made a personal choice to participate in the study and needed to fully complete the survey
for inclusion. Respondents self-reported on the data in this analysis, and all were working full-time in the
health information field. This is not an academic analysis.
This report contains the following salary snapshots:
• Average Salary by HIM Job Family
• Average Salary by Years of Experience
• Average Salary by Region
• Average Salary by Credential
• Average Salary by Job Level
• Average Salary by Job Setting
• Salary Changes in the Last 12 Months
• Salary Increases in the Last 12 Months
REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT—
CODING AND BILLING
OPERATIONS/MEDICAL
RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
27%
8%
6%
4%
4%
4%
3%
44%
OTHER
COMPLIANCE AND
RISK MANAGEMENT
EDUCATION
CDI
INFORMATICS/
DATA ANALYTICS
IT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
RESPONDENTS TO THE SURVEY AS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
4 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
What is a job family?
How health information positions are characterized within the career map.
Revenue Cycle Management/Coding and Billing
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $66,370
Coding Professional, Revenue Cycle Manager, HIM Revenue Cycle
Auditor, Benefits Coordinator, Collections Clerk, and more
Operations–Medical Records Administration
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $81,950
Health Information Technician, Meaningful Use Specialist, Patient or Cancer
Registrar, Health Information Management Clerk or Manager, Director of HIM,
and more
Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $84,300
Clinical Documentation Specialist, CDI Manager; Director of CDI, CDI Quality
and Training; Clinical Medical Data Coordinator; Clinical Coding Liaison
Compliance/Risk Management
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $89,230
Credentialing Specialist, Quality Improvement Analyst, Compliance Auditor, Privacy
Ocer, Information Security Manager, Director of Risk Management, and more
Education/Communication
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $79,120
HIM Professor, Health Sciences Information Librarian, ICD-10 Educator,
Program Director, or Department Chair
Informatics/Data Analytics
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $83,490
Data Integrity Analyst, Clinical Informatics Coordinator, Project Manager,
Research and Development Scientist, Director of Clinical Informatics, and more
IT and Infrastructure
Self-reported salary average (rounded): $98,180
Implementation Support Specialist, Data Quality Manager,
System Analyst, Data Architect, Chief Technology Ocer, and more
AVERAGE SALARY BY HIM JOB FAMILY
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
5 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
AVERAGE SALARY BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION
AR, LA, OK, TX $78,090
AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY $76,670
CT, NH, RI, VT, MA, ME $84,410
DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV $78,170
HI, CA, AK, OR, WA $87,680
IL, IN, MI, OH, WI $72,400
MS, KY, AL, TN $69,940
ND, SD, MN, IA, KS, MO, NE $71,220
NY, NJ, PA $83,120
0–1 Years $44,530
1–2 Years $47,290
3–4 Years $51,110
5–6 Years $52,400
7–10 Years $59,770
11–20 Years $70,080
21–30 Years $81,510
31+ Years $86,390
AVERAGE SALARY BY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Average Salary by Region
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
6 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
AVERAGE SALARY BY AHIMA CREDENTIAL
Health information is constantly changing and adapting to the evolving healthcare ecosystem. As new
opportunities arise, HIM professionals may need additional education and skills development to perform
in new roles.
HIM professionals who earn credentials have higher salaries; the more credentials earned, the more
return on personal investment. Earning credentials not only demonstrates your deep understanding
of the complexities of HIM but opens new doors for employment advancement and sets you up for
life-long career success.
Learn more about AHIMA credentials at ahima.org/certification.
HIM CERTIFICATIONS
CODING CERTIFICATIONS SPECIALTY CERTIFICATIONS
Registered Health
Information Technician (RHIT)
Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA)
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Certified in Healthcare Privacy
and Security (CHPS)
Certified Documentation
Improvement Practitioner (CDIP)
Certified Coding Specialist–
Physician-based (CCS-P)
Registered Health Information
Administrator (RHIA)
SALARY BY AHIMA CREDENTIAL
CCA $53,790
CCS $79,060
CCS-P $77,790
RHIT $70,300
RHIA $91,450
CHDA $92,100
CDIP $93,770
CHPS $100,560
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
7 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
Average Salary by Numbers of Years in the HIM Industry
Less than one year $35,090 $49,150 N/A N/A $39,125 N/A
1–2 years $57,930 $38,710 N/A $45,500 $60,160 $45,010
3–4 years $63,080 $42,960 $145,000 $42,260 $64,700 $47,500
5–6 years $57,380 $50,910 $72,500 $48,870 $53,850 $70,330
7–10 years $70,770 $57,630 $77,770 $47,810 $66,190 $61,810
11–20 years $86,720 $63,000 $87,520 $53,610 $74,910 $75,410
21–30 years $94,290 $76,520 $95,370 $52,260 $83,260 $80,470
31 or more years $99,690 $79,100 $100,260 $70,420 $84,040 $82,510
Average Salary by Number of Credentials
# OF CREDENTIALS AVERAGE SALARY
NONE $66,320
1 CREDENTIAL
$75,540
2 CREDENTIALS
$82,620
3 CREDENTIALS
$89,960
4+ CREDENTIALS
$113,950
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
8 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
Average Salary by Job Level
With more experience and education, your ability to rise through the ranks to management and executive
levels means your annual salary will increase as well. If you’re interested in giving back to the profession
while earning more, explore options to become an HIM educator. Consulting is another career path that,
while demanding, oers a higher salary.
Salary by Job Setting
Where you work can determine your salary. Whether as part of an integrated healthcare system or acute care,
working in a hospital pays more on average than at a physician’s oce or a long-term care facility. On average,
the larger the hospital the higher the salary.
Nonmanagerial (no supervisory
responsibility for other workers)
Academic Educator
(e.g., Professor, Faculty)
Manager or Supervisor (manager of a program
with or without supervisory responsibilities)
Senior Executive Management
(C-Suite and Ocers)
Director (oversees an area, such as HIM)
Vice president (may have multiple
areas reporting to them)
Home Health
Long-term Care, Hospice, or Nursing Facility
Clinic or Physician Practice
Behavioral/Mental Health
Ambulatory Care (surgery center, outpatient rehab, etc.)
Public Health
Hospital, Multi-Hospital System, Integrated Delivery
Government
Educational Institution
Health Insurance, Payor, Managed Care
Consulting Firm
Laboratory or Research
Vendor Company
Association or Professional Society
Life Sciences
$77,330
$66,100
$77,800
$78,680
$100,620
$100,250
$95,00
$83,940
$79,690
$64,010
$106,000
$56,070
$63,890
$63,500
$56,850
$97,140
$88,820
$74,020
$125,450
$79,000
$95,660
US Salary Survey Report: HIM Professionals in 2019
9 | ahima.org/salarysurvey
Did your salary change in the last 12 months?
If you had a salary increase, by how much?
Professional experience 1786 59%
Education level 1186 40%
Certification level 921 31%
Specific skillset 682 23%
Politics (knowing the “right people”) 679 23%
Multi-disciplinary knowledge 647 21%
Success in projects 630 21%
Personal eorts to eect change (self-advocacy) 369 12%
Tenure 328 11%
Luck (being the “right person at the right time”) 285 9%
Race/ethnicity 56 2%
Age 49 2%
Gender 45 1%
24%
76%
51%
4%
5%
4%
1–2%
NO
YES
36%
3–4%
Less
than 1%
7% or
more
5–6%
Skillsets/elements that participants believe have the greatest
influence for promotion. Participants could choose up to three.