Coding Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of coding specialists 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 coding specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of coding specialists 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 coding specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Coding Specialists?
Do coding specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do coding specialists 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 coding specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Coding Specialists
Jobs Postings for Coding Specialists 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 coding specialists. 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 Coding Specialists
Jobs Postings for Coding Specialists 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 coding specialists. In 52% of job postings for Coding Specialists, 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 coding specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Coding Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for coding specialists, 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 coding specialists, 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 coding specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Coding Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Coding Specialists (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 Coding Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by coding specialists 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 coding specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Coding Specialists
Based on 69,484 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Coding Specialists
| 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 Coding Specialists
| 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 coding specialists, 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 coding specialists, 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 coding specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for coding specialists.
What do coding specialists do?
How much do coding specialists make?
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