Medical records clerk vs technician

The differences between medical records clerks and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical records clerk, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a technician has an average salary of $38,045, which is higher than the $32,491 average annual salary of a medical records clerk.

The top three skills for a medical records clerk include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Medical records clerk vs technician overview

	Medical Records Clerk	Technician
Yearly salary	$32,491	$38,045
Hourly rate	$15.62	$18.29
Growth rate	11%	1%
Number of jobs	129,998	596,842
Job satisfaction	5	2
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	45	40
Years of experience	12	2

What does a medical records clerk do?

Medical records clerks are employees in hospitals or clinics who manage office records. They are in charge of creating, updating, and filing patient-related medical records and other related documents. They ensure that all documents are correctly filled out and labeled before storing them safely in their respective storage areas. They may also be in charge of digitizing forms for easier access to files and back up purposes. They ensure that medical records are exact and updated. Medical records clerks should be organized and must always be on top of all tasks related to patient or medical records.

What does a technician do?

Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.

Medical records clerk vs technician salary

Medical records clerks and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Records Clerk	Technician
Average salary	$32,491	$38,045
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $24,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Hawaii
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Health Care	Telecommunication

Differences between medical records clerk and technician education

There are a few differences between a medical records clerk and a technician in terms of educational background:

	Medical Records Clerk	Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Medical records clerk vs technician demographics

Here are the differences between medical records clerks' and technicians' demographics:

	Medical Records Clerk	Technician
Average age	45	40
Gender ratio	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%	Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	2%

Differences between medical records clerk and technician duties and responsibilities

Medical records clerk example responsibilities.

Manage transition from in-house transcription system to outsource transcription service.
Manage front office check-in, insurance verification and certifications from doctors.
Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Perform infant labs and update the system with results, triage incoming patients, perform necessary resuscitation to baby and mom.
Provide information to medical facilities and patients when necessary and respond to subpoenas and other general release of patient information.
Experience in CPT and ICD-10 coding.

Technician example responsibilities.

Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.

Medical records clerk vs technician skills

Common medical records clerk skills

Patients, 27%
Customer Service, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Terminology, 6%
HIPAA, 5%
Patient Care, 4%

Common technician skills

Patients, 16%
Customer Service, 14%
Patient Care, 8%
Hand Tools, 6%
Diagnosis, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Medical Records Clerk
Medical Records Clerk vs Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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