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Medical Records and Health Information Careers

Medical records and health information careers are related to healthcare administration, but they are more specialized than general management. BLS reports that medical records specialists are projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034. Health information technologists also fall within this field.

Medical records roles are specialized and detail-intensive

Medical records and health information careers require accuracy with documentation, coding systems, privacy rules and data quality. These roles support the administrative backbone of healthcare organizations.

BLS separates records specialists from health information technologists

BLS reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $50,250 for medical records specialists, with 7 percent projected growth from 2024 to 2034. It separately reports $67,310 for health information technologists and medical registrars, with 15 percent projected growth.

Degrees and credentials serve different purposes

A healthcare administration degree may help a person understand the broader organization. Specialized coding or registry work may require focused credentials or technical experience. Students should match the program to the specific records or information role.

The BLS figures for medical records and health information careers on this page are occupation-level benchmarks. They are not school-specific earnings data and do not represent outcomes for students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual employment and salary results vary by employer, region, experience, role requirements and economic conditions.

Medical records work has credential signals

Medical records and health information work can be an administrative entry point, but it has its own technical and credential signals. BLS states that certification may be required or preferred for medical records specialists. That means a degree plan should be reviewed alongside the credential expectations appearing in job postings.

A student with records, coding or patient account experience may be evaluating advancement into supervision or information management. A student without that background may need to understand the technical vocabulary first. The degree title is only one part of the evidence.

Medical records and health information paths should be separated by task type. Accuracy, coding, documentation review, registry work, analytics and information systems may sit near one another, but each path can involve different tools and credentials.

Medical records and health information roles differ by task mix. Some positions center on record maintenance, some on technical data work and some on supervision or information governance. Program comparison should identify whether the target is hands-on records work, health information technology or administrative leadership.

Experience with clinical documentation, coding, privacy rules or electronic health records can change the planning question. Someone with that background may be looking for advancement language, while a newcomer may need foundational records and healthcare data context.

The records pathway also has a progression of detail. Some work centers on accurate file maintenance, some on coding or registry data and some on information governance or analytics. The level being targeted should be identified before a degree page is used to judge fit. General healthcare administration language may support organizational context, but health information work often asks for specialized technical fluency.

This is why source selection matters. BLS separates medical records specialists from health information technologists and registrars, and the page keeps those categories distinct so that salary or outlook information is not overextended.

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