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Health Information Technologist / Medical Registrar

$68,020
median / year
$39,830 – $117,420
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Design, manage, and analyze computerized health information and registries used for care, quality, and research.

You may also see this posted as: Medical Records Analyst, Medical Records Director.

Where you work

Hospitals, clinics, insurance organizations, and offices; mostly computer-based.

The hours

Usually full-time with regular schedules.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
  • Compile medical care and census data for statistical reports on diseases treated, surgery performed, or use of hospital beds.
  • Design databases to support healthcare applications, ensuring security, performance and reliability.
  • Develop in-service educational materials.
  • Evaluate and recommend upgrades or improvements to existing computerized healthcare systems.

Good fit if you like…

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

O*NET job zone 3 of 5

Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.

Work styles that matter most

Attention to DetailDependabilityIntegrityCautiousness

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareeClinicalWorks EHR softwareEpic SystemsHenry Schein DentrixIBM SPSS Statistics

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$68,020
per year
Hourly median
$32.70
per hour
What most earn
$39,830–$117,420
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~3,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+14.7%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
38,100
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 7.8% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Associate degree

Training path: Associate degree in health information management or a related field.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Health dataDatabase systemsPrivacy rulesAnalysis

The honest take

Builds and analyzes clinical data systems and registries, connecting healthcare, records, quality, and analytics.

Standard Occupational Classification 29-9021. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.