The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – The Department of Labor’s official data reporting agency states that Medical Records and Health Information Technicians (the category that includes medical coding and billing professionals as well as a number of other clerical positions) earn an average of $38,860 a year.
The American Academy of Professional Coders – This organization is one of the two largest medical coding and billing industry associations. Their 2014 Medical Coding Salary Survey reported that the average salary for credentialed medical coders in 2014 was $50,775.

The American Health Information Management Association – This is the largest industry organization in the medical coding and billing space, and the AHIMA 2010 Salary Study reports average salaries by certifications. The survey states that the average medical coding salary for coders holding the CCA certification (which Career Step graduates are prepared for upon graduation) is $40,196 a year.

Of these three sources, the AHIMA-reported average medical coder salary of $40,196 is likely closest to what entry-level Career Step graduates can expect to earn. The average medical coding and billing salary reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is lowered by the other types of positions included in the category, and the average medical coding salary reported by the AAPC survey includes more experienced coders.