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Medical Coder Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a medical coder. Medical coders usually study health care administration, business, or computer information systems. 37% of medical coders hold a associate degree, and 28% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 23,521 real medical coder resumes to see exactly what medical coder education sections show.
The most common colleges for medical coders are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online medical coder courses to help get the education required to be a medical coder.
There are certain medical coder certifications that you should consider. These medical coder certifications include Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) and Certified Coding Specialist (CCS).
What education do you need to become a medical coder?
What degree do you need to be a medical coder?
- Associate, 37%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Diploma, 10%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 18%
What should I major in to become a medical coder?
Most common colleges for medical coders
| Medical Coder Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 16.35% |
| DeVry University | 14.69% |
| Baker College | 6.75% |
| Davenport University | 6.75% |
| Ferris State University | 4.98% |
Best majors for medical coders
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care Administration | 38.7% |
| 2 | Business | 12.3% |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems | 12.0% |
| 4 | Nursing | 5.1% |
| 5 | Information Technology | 3.4% |
Best colleges for medical coders
The best colleges for medical coders are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Rochester.
A medical coder with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for medical coders. 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 medical coders.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
8. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,453
Enrollment
4,312
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
20 best online courses for medical coders
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1. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) assess a basic medical patient 2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration, 3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management, 4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a...
2. 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...
3. Medical Coding: ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Training
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4. Medical Coding CPC (Certified Professional Coder) Training
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6. AMCI Introduction to Medical Coding (I2MC) Course
Introduction to Medical Coding (I2MC) Course...
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8. Internal audit on Medical Device QMS - ISO 13485:2016
Successfully conduct an internal audit based on requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
9. Medical Device Regulation 2017/745 EU regulatory affairs.
Understand regulations for medical devices in simple terms to gain market approval of a medical device in the EU...
10. Medical Terminology
Introduction to the meaning of various roots, terms and combining forms that are components of medical words...
11. Introduction to Medical Imaging
Your guide to the history, science, math, and economics of medical imaging systems (e.g., X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound)...
12. Practical Regulatory Affairs 2020 - European Medical Devices
A practical course discussing the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in real-world situations...
13. ISO 13485 Demystified - Medical Devices' QMS 360° Insights
Deep dive into the world of ISO 13485 international standard for medical devices' QMS, basic concepts & requirements...
14. Medical Devices Quality Management System - ISO 13485:2016
Awareness and Application for the requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
15. ISO 13485 - IQOQPQ - Process Validation for Medical Devices
Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ) & Performance Qualification (PQ) Medical Devices...
16. Medical Terminology 101
For those in healthcare, billing, and more. Boost earning ability and marketable skills by learning to speak medicine...
17. Practical Regulatory Affairs 2020 - US FDA Medical Devices
A practical course discussing the US FDA Medical Device regulations for real-world situations...
18. ISO 13485:2016 - Design and Development of Medical Devices
Design and Development of Medical Devices in the perspective of ISO 13485:2016 and Medical Devices Industry...
19. Medical Device Regulation (MDR): Intro for Device Designers
An introduction to the EU's Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for those involved in developing medical devices...
20. Understanding Medications and Therapeutics
Helping you build the best foundation to truly understand medications and develop clinical reasoning skills...
Top 10 most affordable universities for medical coders
The most affordable schools for medical coders are Baruch College of the City University of New York, clayton state university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for medical coders 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 medical coders.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
2. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,419
Cost of Attendance
17,697
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Cost of Attendance
13,998
4. Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,033
Cost of Attendance
12,702
5. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,238
Cost of Attendance
21,567
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,556
Cost of Attendance
19,434
7. Augusta University
Augusta, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,604
Cost of Attendance
20,618
8. Trident University International
Cypress, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,240
Cost of Attendance
17,912
9. Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,645
Cost of Attendance
20,098
10. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,283
Cost of Attendance
22,243
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for medical coders
The hardest universities for medical coders to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Rochester.
Some great schools for medical coders 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 medical coders 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
3. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
29%
SAT Average
1,422
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions Rate
10%
SAT Average
1,514
5. Providence College
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions Rate
49%
SAT Average
1,294
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
7. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions Rate
58%
SAT Average
1,304
8. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions Rate
56%
SAT Average
1,300
9. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
59%
SAT Average
1,367
10. Tulane University
New Orleans, LA • Private
Admissions Rate
17%
SAT Average
1,428
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for medical coders
The easiest schools for medical coders to get into are AdventHealth University, saint joseph's college of maine, and life university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a medical coder 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 medical coders.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
87%
SAT Average
1,016
2. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions Rate
84%
SAT Average
1,069
3. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions Rate
94%
SAT Average
979
4. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
1,099
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,072
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
92%
SAT Average
1,031
7. Albertus Magnus College
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions Rate
58%
SAT Average
931
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions Rate
86%
SAT Average
991
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions Rate
78%
SAT Average
1,024
10. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
84%
SAT Average
1,031
Average medical coder salary by education level
| Medical Coder education level | Medical Coder salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,960 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,992 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $56,093 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $53,366 |
Medical Coder Education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025