Coders: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of coders about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for coders to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of coders expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for coders.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Coders?
Do coders need a degree? What kind of experience do coders typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for coders to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Coders
Jobs Postings for Coders By Education
- High School or GED: 33,701 (48%)
- No Education Listed: 24,543 (35%)
- Bachelor's degree: 10,240 (15%)
- Master's degree: 1,126 (2%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 644 (1%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of coders. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 48% of positions. In 35% of job listings no education level was listed and in 15% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Coders
Jobs Postings for Coders By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 13,857 (32%)
- 2-3 Years: 23,005 (52%)
- 4-6 Years: 5,586 (13%)
- 7-9 Years: 366 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 1,114 (3%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for coders. In 52% of job postings for Coders, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for coders.
What Kind of Degree Do Coders Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for coders, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 14 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective coders, and in 2023 a total of 81,519 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective coders.
Top Degree Programs for Coders
Top 5 Degree Programs for Coders (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | 30,406 |
| Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician. | 10,461 |
| Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder. | 9,454 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other. | 7,359 |
| Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary. | 7,095 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | 30,406 |
| Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician. | 10,461 |
| Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder. | 9,454 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other. | 7,359 |
| Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary. | 7,095 |
| Medical Office Assistant/Specialist. | 4,140 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other. | 4,121 |
| Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator. | 2,947 |
| Medical Office Management/Administration. | 2,804 |
| Medical Informatics. | 2,611 |
| Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist. | 79 |
| Medical Staff Services Technology/Technician. | 32 |
| Disease Registry Data Management. | 6 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics, Other. | 4 |
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What Skills Do Coders Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by coders to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for coders, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Coders
Based on 69,484 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Coders
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Records | 34,298 | 49% |
| Billing | 30,990 | 45% |
| ICD Coding (ICD-9/ICD-10) | 22,455 | 32% |
| Medical Billing | 18,748 | 27% |
| CPT Coding | 18,636 | 27% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Coders
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 22,349 | 32% |
| Management | 15,604 | 22% |
| Detail Oriented | 14,905 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 14,326 | 21% |
| Research | 11,319 | 16% |
Based on 69,484 job postings related to coders, medical records was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 49% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for billing, icd coding (icd-9/icd-10), medical billing, cpt coding and medical terminology were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for coders, followed by management, detail oriented, customer service, research and collections.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Records | 34,298 | 49% |
| Billing | 30,990 | 45% |
| ICD Coding (ICD-9/ICD-10) | 22,455 | 32% |
| Medical Billing | 18,748 | 27% |
| CPT Coding | 18,636 | 27% |
| Medical Terminology | 18,245 | 26% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 14,447 | 21% |
| Medical Coding | 14,109 | 20% |
| Auditing | 11,944 | 17% |
| Medicare | 10,992 | 16% |
| Health Information Management | 9,445 | 14% |
| Anatomy | 8,684 | 12% |
| Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems | 8,307 | 12% |
| Medicaid | 8,191 | 12% |
| Physiology | 8,167 | 12% |
| Data Entry | 8,034 | 12% |
| Revenue Cycle Management | 7,814 | 11% |
| Accounts Receivable | 7,399 | 11% |
| Clinical Documentation | 7,264 | 10% |
| Procedure Codes | 5,670 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 22,349 | 32% |
| Management | 15,604 | 22% |
| Detail Oriented | 14,905 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 14,326 | 21% |
| Research | 11,319 | 16% |
| Collections | 10,044 | 14% |
| Microsoft Excel | 9,445 | 14% |
| Writing | 8,246 | 12% |
| Microsoft Office | 8,023 | 12% |
| Operations | 8,021 | 12% |
| Computer Literacy | 7,470 | 11% |
| Organizational Skills | 7,348 | 11% |
| Multitasking | 7,327 | 11% |
| Problem Solving | 6,931 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 6,057 | 9% |
| Clerical Works | 6,008 | 9% |
| Filing | 6,002 | 9% |
| Leadership | 6,001 | 9% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 5,317 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 5,026 | 7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about coders? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for coders.
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.