Medical Coding Job Outlook, 2025 to 2035
BLS projections for medical records specialists, the occupation that includes medical coders, plus where the jobs are today. Pick a state to see its job count and share.
Jobs in your state
Projections at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 200,700 |
| Projected employment, 2035 | 216,300 |
| Change, 2025 to 2035 | 15,600 (8%) |
| Openings each year, on average | About 14,000 |
| Growth for all occupations | 3% |
"Employment of medical records specialists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations."
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical Records Specialists (last modified August 27, 2026)
BLS points to an increasing share of the population entering older age groups, which typically require more medical services, and to a growing prevalence of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions. As a result, BLS says, more medical records specialists will be needed to translate patient information and services into standardized codes for insurance reimbursement and other purposes.
BLS also adds a caution about automation:
"However, the increase in adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions that make the medical coding process more efficient may affect the demand for these workers."
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical Records Specialists (last modified August 27, 2026)
Where the jobs are now
The projections above come from the BLS Employment Projections program, which counts 200,700 jobs in 2025. The state counts below come from the OEWS survey, which counted 194,720 medical records specialists nationwide in May 2025, so the two totals differ. Share is each state's count divided by the national OEWS count. The location quotient compares the occupation's share of a state's jobs with its share of all U.S. jobs: above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. The highest values were in Alaska (2.64), Florida (1.73) and Kentucky (1.68).
| Alabama | 2,330 | 1.2% | 1.101 | 0.88 |
| Alaska | 1,070 | 0.5% | 3.300 | 2.64 |
| Arizona | 3,750 | 1.9% | 1.159 | 0.93 |
| Arkansas | 1,920 | 1.0% | 1.474 | 1.18 |
| California | 18,700 | 9.6% | 1.026 | 0.82 |
| Colorado | 1,780 | 0.9% | 0.618 | 0.49 |
| Connecticut | 1,120 | 0.6% | 0.657 | 0.53 |
| Delaware | 610 | 0.3% | 1.267 | 1.01 |
| District of Columbia | 270 | 0.1% | 0.381 | 0.30 |
| Florida | 21,490 | 11.0% | 2.164 | 1.73 |
| Georgia | 5,930 | 3.0% | 1.212 | 0.97 |
| Hawaii | 400 | 0.2% | 0.642 | 0.51 |
| Idaho | 1,490 | 0.8% | 1.738 | 1.39 |
| Illinois | 5,740 | 2.9% | 0.941 | 0.75 |
| Indiana | 5,860 | 3.0% | 1.829 | 1.46 |
| Iowa | 2,250 | 1.2% | 1.440 | 1.15 |
| Kansas | 2,030 | 1.0% | 1.412 | 1.13 |
| Kentucky | 4,210 | 2.2% | 2.104 | 1.68 |
| Louisiana | 2,600 | 1.3% | 1.345 | 1.07 |
| Maine | 1,000 | 0.5% | 1.566 | 1.25 |
| Maryland | 2,440 | 1.3% | 0.883 | 0.71 |
| Massachusetts | 3,500 | 1.8% | 0.961 | 0.77 |
| Michigan | 4,890 | 2.5% | 1.109 | 0.89 |
| Minnesota | 3,150 | 1.6% | 1.068 | 0.85 |
| Mississippi | 2,310 | 1.2% | 1.983 | 1.58 |
| Missouri | 3,890 | 2.0% | 1.326 | 1.06 |
| Montana | 820 | 0.4% | 1.595 | 1.27 |
| Nebraska | 1,640 | 0.8% | 1.603 | 1.28 |
| Nevada | 2,350 | 1.2% | 1.512 | 1.21 |
| New Hampshire | 930 | 0.5% | 1.361 | 1.09 |
| New Jersey | 4,450 | 2.3% | 1.038 | 0.83 |
| New Mexico | 1,400 | 0.7% | 1.607 | 1.28 |
| New York | 9,080 | 4.7% | 0.937 | 0.75 |
| North Carolina | 6,760 | 3.5% | 1.367 | 1.09 |
| North Dakota | 520 | 0.3% | 1.221 | 0.98 |
| Ohio | 7,440 | 3.8% | 1.341 | 1.07 |
| Oklahoma | 2,480 | 1.3% | 1.450 | 1.16 |
| Oregon | 2,560 | 1.3% | 1.302 | 1.04 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,970 | 3.6% | 1.149 | 0.92 |
| Rhode Island | 650 | 0.3% | 1.296 | 1.03 |
| South Carolina | 2,750 | 1.4% | 1.192 | 0.95 |
| South Dakota | 900 | 0.5% | 1.963 | 1.57 |
| Tennessee | 4,440 | 2.3% | 1.353 | 1.08 |
| Texas | 17,210 | 8.8% | 1.223 | 0.98 |
| Utah | 1,910 | 1.0% | 1.100 | 0.88 |
| Vermont | Not available (**) | n/a | Not available | Not available |
| Virginia | 4,630 | 2.4% | 1.128 | 0.90 |
| Washington | 5,010 | 2.6% | 1.411 | 1.13 |
| West Virginia | 1,260 | 0.6% | 1.795 | 1.43 |
| Wisconsin | 2,870 | 1.5% | 0.976 | 0.78 |
| Wyoming | 280 | 0.1% | 0.994 | 0.79 |
Largest employers
| Industry | Share of jobs |
|---|---|
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 28% |
| Offices of physicians | 18% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10% |
| Administrative and support services | 8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 7% |
BLS notes that most medical records specialists work full time, and that this is one of the few health-related occupations with no direct hands-on patient care. Pay by industry is on the billing vs coding page, and pay by state is in the salary table.
Frequently asked questions
Is medical coding in demand?
BLS projects employment of medical records specialists, the occupation that includes medical coders, to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035. BLS calls that much faster than the average for all occupations, which it projects at 3 percent.
How many medical coding jobs open each year?
BLS projects about 14,000 openings for medical records specialists each year, on average, over the decade. It expects many of them to come from replacing workers who move to other occupations or leave the labor force.
Will AI replace medical coders?
BLS does not project job losses for the occupation; it projects growth. It does say that the increase in adoption of AI-powered solutions that make the medical coding process more efficient may affect the demand for these workers.
Which states have the most medical coding jobs?
In May 2025 the states with the most medical records specialists were Florida (21,490), California (18,700), Texas (17,210), New York (9,080) and Ohio (7,440). Use the tool above for any state.
Where do medical coders work?
BLS lists the largest employers as hospitals (28 percent of jobs), offices of physicians (18 percent), professional, scientific, and technical services (10 percent), administrative and support services (8 percent), and management of companies and enterprises (7 percent).