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Health information specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a health information specialist. Health information specialists usually study health care administration, business, or computer information systems. 38% of health information specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,038 real health information specialist resumes to see exactly what health information specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for health information specialists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online health information specialist courses to help get the education required to be a health information specialist.
There are certain health information specialist certifications that you should consider. These health information specialist certifications include Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) and Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
What education do you need to become a health information specialist?
What degree do you need to be a health information specialist?
- Bachelor's, 38%
- Associate, 30%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 13%
What should I major in to become a health information specialist?
- Business, 16%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for health information specialists
| Health information specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 17.90% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 10.49% |
| DeVry University | 7.41% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 4.94% |
| University of Houston | 4.94% |
Best majors for health information specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care Administration | 29.4% |
| 2 | Business | 15.7% |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems | 11.4% |
| 4 | Psychology | 6.2% |
| 5 | Medical Assisting Services | 5.0% |
Best colleges for health information specialists
The best colleges for health information specialists are University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University.
A health information specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for health information specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become health information specialists.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
4. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
5. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
6. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Enrollment
2,120
10. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
20 best online courses for health information specialists
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1. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff
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2. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
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5. Health Care IT: Challenges and Opportunities
A strong argument can be made that the health care field is one of the most information-intensive sectors in the U.S. economy and avoidance of the rapid advances in information technology is no longer an option. Consequently, the study of health care information technology and systems has become central to health care delivery effectiveness. This course covers the modern application of information technology that is critical to supporting the vision and operational knowledge of the health care...
6. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
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9. The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare
This is a very exciting time to be exploring a career in Health IT Support! In this introductory course, you’ll learn about various roles in IT support that are common in healthcare. IT support staff play critical roles in many different healthcare venues. In addition to helping clinics, hospitals, and emergency rooms, you may end up providing support in a skilled nursing facility, ambulatory surgical center, virtual care setting, or even a patient’s home! On any given day, you may interact...
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Have you ever needed health care and thought that there must be better ways to get or deliver health care? For example, have you found yourself thinking that there should be a way to get a diagnostic test or treatment at home? Or do you work in a healthcare organization and find yourself thinking that there must be better ways to deliver health care? If you have, this course is for you. Course content includes an overview of health care delivery including healthcare consumerism, the patient's...
11. ICD 10 & 11 Medical Coding and Billing
Preparation for Medical Coding Certification Exam...
12. Understanding HIPAA for the Medical Office
A healthcare professional's guide to understanding the requirements HIPAA...
13. HI-FIVE: Health Informatics For Innovation, Value & Enrichment (Clinical Perspective)
HI-FIVE (Health Informatics For Innovation, Value & Enrichment) Training is a 12-hour online course designed by Columbia University in 2016, with sponsorship from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The training is role-based and uses case scenarios. Also, it has additional, optional modules on other topics of interest or relevance. Although we suggest to complete the course within a month's timeframe, the course is self-paced and so you can start and...
14. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale
Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...
15. Home Health Aide, Nurse Aide, Caregiver Certification Course
Become A Certified Home Health Aide, Personal Care Aide, Nurse Aide/ Caregiver At The End Of This Course. Enroll Now!!...
16. Data Science for Healthcare Claims Data
Learn and practice how to transform raw healthcare claims data into valuable knowledge and actionable insights!...
17. Comparative Health Systems
This course uses comparative analysis of health care systems to gain a better understanding of health care systems in several high-income, middle-income and low-income countries. One focus of analysis in this course will therefore be to develop a better knowledge of these health care systems. A second focus will be to use to this analysis to gain a better understanding of the health care system in the United States. This analysis is relevant for those who are directly interested in the United...
18. Understanding HIPAA Compliance
This course helps you understand the various rules under HIPAA and how to be compliant with that...
19. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
20. Understanding and Complying with HIPAA
This program will train you on the HIPAA and provide an overview on the rules governing protected health information...
Top 10 most affordable universities for health information specialists
The most affordable schools for health information specialists are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and florida international university.
If the best universities for health information specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for health information specialists.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for health information specialists
The hardest universities for health information specialists to get into are University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University.
Some great schools for health information specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for health information specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for health information specialists
The easiest schools for health information specialists to get into are D'Youville College, ottawa university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a health information specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for health information specialists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
9. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
10. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
Average health information specialist salary by education level
| Health information specialist education level | Health information specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,036 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,023 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,635 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,260 |
Health information specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025