What Is the Salary of Medical Billing?

Most clerks are hired at entry-level, says the U.S. Bureau of Labor.

We all know what it's like to open a medical bill and give a sigh, but on the other end of that bill is a medical billing clerk or specialist who worked hard to make sure the charges are correct, that your insurance has been applied and your information is accurate. Billing clerks earn an hourly wage, overtime and possible yearly bonuses.

Average Income

PayScale reports that medical billing clerks are making $10 to $14 an hour, as of 2011. The total annual earnings combine to an average of $22,000 to $31,000, reflecting the hourly rate plus overtime ($15 to $22 an hour) plus bonuses of up to $1,200 yearly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median wage as $30,000 a year.

Income by State

As of 2011, medical billing clerks in Kentucky report earning highs of $13 an hour, according to PayScale. Clerks in North Carolina, Massachusetts and Texas report top earnings of $14 an hour on average, while clerks in Pennsylvania report earning as much as $16 an hour.

Training and Education

O-NET reports that most medical billing clerks have a high school diploma and rudimentary computer software knowledge, according to information updated in 2010. A quarter of clerks hold an associate's degree, and another 20 percent have attended post-secondary school but haven't earned a degree.

Outlook

Job opportunities during the 2008 through 2018 decade are expected to be "good," says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a 15 percent career growth adding an estimated 160,000 jobs. The expanding health care industry coupled with vacancies created by employees who leave the profession are the anticipated reasons for the expansion in jobs.

References

• PayScale: Hourly Rate Snapshot for Medical Billing Clerk Jobs
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Billing and Posting Clerks and Machine Operators
• O-NET: Summary Report for Billing, Cost and Rate Clerks