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The differences between cancer registrars and health information technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a cancer registrar and a health information technician. Additionally, a cancer registrar has an average salary of $49,393, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a cancer registrar include patients, CTR and medical terminology. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.
| Cancer Registrar | Health Information Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,393 | $34,604 |
| Hourly rate | $23.75 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 11,722 | 120,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Cancer registrars collect and report data related to cancer. They gather information like the history, treatment used, diagnosis, and current status of cancer patients. The data collected will be used by cancer treatment facilities, healthcare workers, researchers, and several others to improve the knowledge that every health care department have and to increase the chances of survival of cancer patients. Some of the basic skills that a cancer registrar should have are analytical skills, detail orientation, and critical thinking skills to make sure that all data gathered are documented and stored in a safe place.
A health information technician is primarily responsible for managing and handling patient information, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. They coordinate with various health care workers to gather patient data, laboratory results, test findings, and medical histories, encoding them in clinical databases in a timely and efficient manner. They must analyze every information to detect any inconsistencies, performing corrective measures right away. Furthermore, as a health information technician, it is essential to utilize particular software and systems when processing information, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and regulations.
Cancer registrars and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cancer Registrar | Health Information Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,393 | $34,604 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $72,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Stifel Financial |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a cancer registrar and a health information technician in terms of educational background:
| Cancer Registrar | Health Information Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between cancer registrars' and health information technicians' demographics:
| Cancer Registrar | Health Information Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.8% Female, 92.2% | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |