Learn how much you can earn from a variety of health information technology jobs.
Information technology (IT) and health care are both fast-growing fields with a range of lucrative career paths. It’s little surprise, then, that many job seekers are exploring health information technology jobs more and more.
How much can you expect to earn exactly? And what careers might you consider pursuing in the field?
In this article, you’ll learn more about health information technology jobs, what they pay, and the job outlook for the field. You’ll also find suggested cost-effective courses to start gaining job-relevant skills today.
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Health information technology is a growing field encompassing a wide range of jobs. In this section, you’ll explore the job outlook for the field and the salary range you can expect from some of its most common jobs.
The overall job outlook for health information technology is very positive. While there aren’t any official statistics about the precise job growth for the field, related job data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) paints a sunny picture for the profession.
According to the BLS, the overall number of jobs for health care is projected to grow by 1.9 million openings between 2023 and 2033, which is much faster than the national average for occupations [1]. What’s more, during the same period, the US BLS projects that jobs within the field of computer and information technology will also grow faster than the national average, creating nearly 356,700 new jobs throughout the decade [2].
As a result, considering these two data sets side-by-side, it’s reasonable to assume that jobs within health information technology will share a similarly positive outlook over the coming years.
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The pay you can expect to earn from a health information technology job varies considerably from one role to another.
While individuals working in software development earn an average base pay of $104,329 a year, registered health information technicians (RHIT) earn an average base salary of $43,458, according to Glassdoor [3,4]. As with any job, your work experience, geographic location, and employer demand all contribute to how much you can expect to earn.
Health information technicians collect and analyze data from patient treatments in order to ensure accurate patient records, track outcomes, provide legal insights, handle financials, and maintain data security, among other tasks. However, your exact job responsibilities will depend on your title and organization, as several career pathways fall under this umbrella.
Whether you’re looking for an entry-level position handling electronic health records or want a more senior-level, technology-heavy position, health care information technology has something for you.
Both IT and health care include a wide range of different jobs. While some of the jobs in health information technology are common IT positions found in other fields, such as IT manager or IT specialist, others are specific to health care itself, like registered health information technician or medical records technician. Other jobs, meanwhile, may focus on the development side of digital health, such as software development.
To give you a sense of the jobs you might pursue in health information technology and the pay you can expect to earn, here’s the average base pay for several positions in the field, according to Glassdoor:
Position | Salary | Typical degree |
---|---|---|
Registered health information technician (RHIT) | $43,458 | Associate degree |
Medical records technician | $43,402 | HS diploma and related work experience |
Medical records administrator | $41,884 | Associate or bachelor’s degree |
IT specialist (health care) | $74,406 | Bachelor’s degree |
Health care technology consultant | $103,793 | Bachelor’s degree |
Software developer (health care) | $117,400 | Bachelor’s degree |
System administrator (health care) | $86,418 | Bachelor’s degree |
Information manager (health care) | $54,928 | Bachelor’s degree |
Health IT project manager | $115,762 | Bachelor’s degree |
Health informatics specialist | $64,787 | Bachelor’s or Master’s degree |
Note: All salary data is sourced from Glassdoor unless otherwise stated. Salary information is derived from the average base salary in the United States for each position, not including additional compensation like bonuses, tips, commissions, or profit sharing.
The degree you hold can have a big impact on both the jobs you qualify for and how much you earn. While it’s possible to land some of these jobs with only previous work experience, a high school diploma, and a professional certificate, many employers might look favorably on applicants with a college degree.
Associate degrees can prepare you for a range of both IT and health IT positions. In fact, while many employers may prefer candidates with bachelor’s degrees, the truth is that many are also willing to consider applicants for IT positions who possess only associate degrees, a certificate, and/ or have some related experience.
Here are some jobs you may qualify for with an associate degree in health information technology, IT, or a related field:
Role | Salary | Typical degree |
---|---|---|
Registered health information technician (RHIT) | $43,458 | Associate degree |
Medical records technician | $43,402 | HS diploma and related work experience |
Medical records administrator | $41,884 | Associate or bachelor’s degree |
IT support specialist (health care) | $57,339 | Bachelor’s degree, but associate degree may suffice |
A bachelor’s degree is the most common credential employers require health IT applicants to possess. Typically, applicants should have a degree in information technology, information technology management, computer science, or computer engineering.
Some of the Health IT jobs you may qualify for with a bachelor’s degree include:
Role | Salary | Typical degree |
---|---|---|
Medical records administrator | $41,884 | Associate or bachelor’s degree |
IT specialist (health care) | $74,406 | Bachelor’s degree |
IT consultant (health care) | $103,793 | Bachelor’s degree |
Software developer (health care) | $117,400 | Bachelor’s degree |
System administrator (health care) | $90,365 | Bachelor’s degree |
Information manager (health care) | $54,928 | Bachelor’s degree |
Health IT project manager | $115,762 | Bachelor’s degree |
Health informatics specialist | $64,787 | Bachelor’s or Master’s degree |
As a health information technology professional, you’ll use your knowledge of computers and information systems to help medical professionals provide the best possible care. If you’re considering a career in health IT, you might consider taking a flexible, cost-effective course through Coursera today.
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Employee Relations, Training development, Performance Management, Recruitment, Compliance strategy, Benefit types, Compensation strategy, Pay systems, Total rewards, Business Continuity, Employee Engagement, Learning Delivery Methods, Effective Training, Training Needs, Learning Models, Legal Compliance, Risk Management, Safety Compliance, Compliance Implementation, Employee Onboarding, Job Analysis, interviewing
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US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Healthcare Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm.” Accessed February 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Technology Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm.” Accessed February 10, 2025.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Software Developer make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/software-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,18.htm.’ Accessed February 10, 2025.
Glassdoor. “How much does a Health Information Technician make?, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/health-information-technician-salary-SRCH_KO0,29.htm.’ Accessed February 10, 2025.
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