Billing coder vs billing administrator

The differences between billing coders and billing administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a billing coder and a billing administrator. Additionally, a billing administrator has an average salary of $39,442, which is higher than the $37,554 average annual salary of a billing coder.

The top three skills for a billing coder include patients, ICD-10 and data entry. The most important skills for a billing administrator are data entry, patients, and billing issues.

Billing coder vs billing administrator overview

	Billing Coder	Billing Administrator
Yearly salary	$37,554	$39,442
Hourly rate	$18.05	$18.96
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	55,376	71,952
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a billing coder do?

A billing coder usually works at medical facilities where they are primarily in charge of gathering and analyzing patient information and billing data, translating them according to the special coding system for medical and insurance record purposes. They usually work in an office setting where they manage electronic health records, organize files, handle calls and correspondence, coordinate with different departments, and enter insurance claims into particular programs. Moreover, as a billing coder, it is essential to review records, keeping an eye out for any inconsistencies or missing details, performing corrective measures right away.

What does a billing administrator do?

A billing administrator is primarily in charge of managing the billing and collection procedures of a company. They mostly handle administrative tasks such as gathering and organizing patient information, preparing billing data and invoices, maintaining and updating databases, and keeping an eye for any errors and inconsistencies, taking corrective measures right away. In some industries, a billing administrator must coordinate and submit receipts to insurance companies, answer client inquiries, discuss products and services, and produce regular reports. Moreover, as a billing administrator, it is essential to maintain a clear line of communication with staff for an efficient workflow.

Billing coder vs billing administrator salary

Billing coders and billing administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Billing Coder	Billing Administrator
Average salary	$37,554	$39,442
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $45,000	Between $30,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Buckley King
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between billing coder and billing administrator education

There are a few differences between a billing coder and a billing administrator in terms of educational background:

	Billing Coder	Billing Administrator
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	University of Pennsylvania

Billing coder vs billing administrator demographics

Here are the differences between billing coders' and billing administrators' demographics:

	Billing Coder	Billing Administrator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 8.8% Female, 91.2%	Male, 16.7% Female, 83.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 6.8% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.2% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between billing coder and billing administrator duties and responsibilities

Billing coder example responsibilities.

Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Review documentation to assign or confirm E/M, CPT, HCPCS, modifiers and ICD-9 codes.
Process insurance claims to various carriers like Medicare, Medicaid, commercial, and private insurances.
Verify patient insurance and/or Medicaid eligibility status and produce 'no insurance' letters for non establish patients.
Use EMR to submit claims.
Correct coding of CPT, HCPCS and ICD-9 codes necessary to ensure appropriate reimbursement.

Billing administrator example responsibilities.

Manage facility procedures relate to insurance and billing and solve patients' queries regarding their insurance renewal and expiry.
Perform coding of inpatient/outpatient office, endoscopy, & pathology services and ensure proper assignment of ICD-9 and CPT codes.
Experience with CMS FISS systems.
Coordinate HCPC and ICD-9 codes for billing.
Reconcile JDE invoicing reports to CMS invoicing reports.
Implement corporate or departmental policies, HIPAA compliance, and service standards in conjunction with clinical and billing.

Billing coder vs billing administrator skills

Common billing coder skills

Patients, 18%
ICD-10, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Terminology, 5%
Home Health, 5%
HCPCS, 5%

Common billing administrator skills

Data Entry, 12%
Patients, 12%
Billing Issues, 7%
Financial Reports, 4%
Billing System, 4%
Medical Billing, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Billing Coder
Billing Coder vs Billing Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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