Medical records specialists
Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.
Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. The role reports a median annual salary of $50,250 in the US and is projected to grow 7% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Postsecondary nondegree award, and shows high AI exposure (0.77 on a 0-1 scale) — significant portions of core tasks are already being automated.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £35,209 a year for Business associate professionals n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £28,099 to £46,322 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3549). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Medical records specialists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
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What you'd actually do
- Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
- Compile and maintain patients' medical records to document condition and treatment and to provide data for research or cost control and care improvement efforts.
- Consult classification manuals to locate information about disease processes.
- Enter data, such as demographic characteristics, history and extent of disease, diagnostic procedures, or treatment into computer.
- Identify, compile, abstract, and code patient data, using standard classification systems.
- Maintain or operate a variety of health record indexes or storage and retrieval systems to collect, classify, store, or analyze information.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Medical records specialists do?
Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.
How much does Medical records specialists earn?
The median annual salary for Medical records specialists in the US is $50,250.
What is the job outlook for Medical records specialists?
The role is projected to grow 7% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 194,800 workers.
How do I become medical records specialists?
The typical entry education is a Postsecondary nondegree award. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
Will AI replace Medical records specialists?
Our AI-durability model gives Medical records specialists a score of 0.77 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at high AI risk — many core tasks are already being automated by generative AI and workflow tools. Focus on AI-adjacent skills or plan a pivot to an AI-durable adjacent role.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Medical records specialists has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.