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Prior authorization specialist salary
Average prior authorization specialist salary
$36,120
Understanding Prior Authorization Specialist Salaries
A Prior Authorization Specialist plays a critical role in the healthcare system by ensuring that necessary medical services are approved by insurance providers before they are rendered. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $36,120 per year, or approximately $17 per hour. However, actual salaries can differ significantly based on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the specific healthcare setting.
For instance, specialists working in hospitals may earn higher salaries compared to those in outpatient facilities. States like California and New York are known for offering competitive compensation, often exceeding the national average. Furthermore, gaining more experience in this field can lead to substantial salary increases.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start around $30,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $45,000 annually. This growth potential makes the role appealing for those considering a career in healthcare.
Employment Opportunities
Job seekers can find a variety of opportunities as Prior Authorization Specialists across job boards like Zippia. Explore listings by location and experience level to find the right fit for your career aspirations.
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Where can a Prior Authorization Specialist earn more?
Prior authorization specialist salaries by experience level
Prior authorization specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average prior authorization specialist salary by state
The average prior authorization specialist salary in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Vermont are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average prior authorization specialist salary states are Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for prior authorization specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $49,963 | $24.02 |
| 2 | Vermont | $41,333 | $19.87 |
| 3 | Illinois | $40,989 | $19.71 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $39,970 | $19.22 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $38,478 | $18.50 |
| 6 | Maryland | $43,606 | $20.96 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $36,800 | $17.69 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $36,208 | $17.41 |
| 9 | New York | $40,836 | $19.63 |
| 10 | Maine | $34,789 | $16.73 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $38,860 | $18.68 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $36,449 | $17.52 |
| 13 | Alaska | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| 14 | Michigan | $36,295 | $17.45 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $35,164 | $16.91 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $34,452 | $16.56 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $39,140 | $18.82 |
| 18 | Ohio | $34,100 | $16.39 |
| 19 | Delaware | $35,522 | $17.08 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $41,581 | $19.99 |
| 21 | Iowa | $31,784 | $15.28 |
| 22 | Washington | $33,272 | $16.00 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $34,765 | $16.71 |
| 24 | Arizona | $31,230 | $15.01 |
| 25 | Oregon | $32,391 | $15.57 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $31,105 | $14.95 |
| 27 | Kansas | $32,894 | $15.81 |
| 28 | Missouri | $33,081 | $15.90 |
| 29 | Nevada | $32,796 | $15.77 |
| 30 | California | $36,355 | $17.48 |
| 31 | Indiana | $30,793 | $14.80 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $29,989 | $14.42 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $30,475 | $14.65 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $31,479 | $15.13 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $28,685 | $13.79 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $31,220 | $15.01 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $28,107 | $13.51 |
| 38 | Idaho | $29,789 | $14.32 |
| 39 | Virginia | $32,378 | $15.57 |
| 40 | Florida | $28,930 | $13.91 |
| 41 | Texas | $30,106 | $14.47 |
| 42 | Georgia | $30,217 | $14.53 |
| 43 | Colorado | $30,603 | $14.71 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $28,502 | $13.70 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $29,555 | $14.21 |
| 46 | Alabama | $28,498 | $13.70 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $26,957 | $12.96 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $25,109 | $12.07 |
| 49 | Montana | $28,999 | $13.94 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $25,560 | $12.29 |
| 51 | Utah | $26,754 | $12.86 |
Highest paying cities for prior authorization specialists
The highest-paying cities for prior authorization specialists are Framingham, MA, Elk Grove Village, IL, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Framingham, MA | $49,980 | $24.03 |
| 2 | Elk Grove Village, IL | $41,358 | $19.88 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $40,804 | $19.62 |
| 4 | Duluth, MN | $40,585 | $19.51 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $40,169 | $19.31 |
| 6 | East Orange, NJ | $39,143 | $18.82 |
| 7 | Allentown, PA | $37,445 | $18.00 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $37,099 | $17.84 |
| 9 | Appleton, WI | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| 10 | Olympia, WA | $33,778 | $16.24 |
| 11 | Eugene, OR | $32,866 | $15.80 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $32,345 | $15.55 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,279 | $15.04 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $31,267 | $15.03 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $30,637 | $14.73 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $30,497 | $14.66 |
| 17 | Alpharetta, GA | $30,327 | $14.58 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $30,161 | $14.50 |
| 19 | Orlando, FL | $29,187 | $14.03 |
| 20 | Little Rock, AR | $28,048 | $13.48 |
Prior authorization specialist salary details
A prior authorization specialist's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a prior authorization specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,120 | $3,010 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying prior authorization specialist jobs
The highest paying types of prior authorization specialists are specialist, biller, and reimbursement specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biller | $38,333 | $3,194 | $18.43 | 35,740 |
| Medical Billing Clerk | $33,566 | $2,797 | $16.14 | 164,870 |
| Billing Representative | $35,002 | $2,917 | $16.83 | 95,425 |
| Insurance Coordinator | $32,788 | $2,732 | $15.76 | 108,509 |
| Patient Liaison | $32,314 | $2,693 | $15.54 | 84,302 |
| Patient Access Representative | $33,603 | $2,800 | $16.16 | 151,077 |
Top companies hiring prior authorization specialists now:
Which companies pay prior authorization specialists the most?
Prior authorization specialist salaries at Washington State University and Talyst are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average prior authorization specialist salary at companies like Treasure Coast Community Health and Inspire Medical Systems are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington State University | $42,800 | $20.58 |
| 2 | Talyst | $40,796 | $19.61 |
| 3 | Treasure Coast Community Health | $39,223 | $18.86 |
| 4 | Inspire Medical Systems | $38,797 | $18.65 |
| 5 | University of Rochester | $38,358 | $18.44 |
| 6 | CVS Health | $38,050 | $18.29 |
| 7 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $38,017 | $18.28 |
| 8 | Emerson Hospital | $36,742 | $17.66 |
| 9 | Sonic Healthcare USA | $35,946 | $17.28 |
| 10 | ICONMA | $35,931 | $17.27 |
| 11 | Wps Health Insurance | $35,872 | $17.25 |
| 12 | Saratoga Hospital | $35,826 | $17.22 |
| 13 | Doctors Medical Ctr | $35,592 | $17.11 |
| 14 | Yukon Kuskokwim Health | $35,376 | $17.01 |
| 15 | Colorado Canyons Hospital & Medical Center | $35,289 | $16.97 |
| 16 | Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| 17 | Meridian Health Services | $35,077 | $16.86 |
| 18 | St Luke's Hospital & Health Network Inc | $35,009 | $16.83 |
| 19 | East Boston Neighborhood Health Center | $34,859 | $16.76 |
| 20 | Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc. | $34,804 | $16.73 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Prior Authorization Specialist salary by industry
The average prior authorization specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average prior authorization specialist salary in the health care industry is $34,460, the highest of any industry.
- The average prior authorization specialist salary in the finance industry is $33,930.
- Prior authorization specialists in the technology industry earn an average salary of $29,611, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for prior authorization specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $34,460 | $16.57 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $33,930 | $16.31 |
| 3 | Insurance | $32,832 | $15.78 |
| 4 | Technology | $29,611 | $14.24 |
High paying prior authorization specialist jobs
Prior authorization specialist salary trends
The average prior authorization specialist salary has risen by $5,262 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average prior authorization specialist earned $30,858 annually, but today, they earn $36,120 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for prior authorization specialists over the last decade.
Compare prior authorization specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average prior authorization specialist salary over time
Compare prior authorization specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Prior authorization specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,100 | $17.37 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $35,000 | $16.82 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $34,000 | $16.36 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $33,200 | $15.94 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $32,600 | $15.65 | +1.8% |
Recently added prior authorization specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orsini Specialty Pharmacy | Prior Authorization Specialist-Hybrid | Elk Grove Village, IL | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Walmart | (PRI) Member Specialist Sam's Club | Carolina, PR | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Neuroscience Group | Therapies Prior Authorization and Scheduling Specialist | Appleton, WI | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. | Prior Authorization Specialist | Minneapolis, MN | 06/25/2025 | $56,000 |
| Saratoga Hospital | Referral & Prior Authorization Specialist | Saratoga Springs, NY | 06/24/2025 | $36,001 |
| Cochlear | Prior Authorization Specialist | Lone Tree, CO | 06/22/2025 | $49,045 |
| Painpoint Health | Prior Authorization Specialist-Pain Management | Barrington, IL | 06/21/2025 | $39,653 |
| Brightspring Health Services | Prior Authorization Specialist | Totowa, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $54,262 |
| State of Virginia | Pre-Cert Authorization Coord | Charlottesville, VA | 06/19/2025 | $36,126 |
| Arizona Liver Health | Pharmacy Technician-Prior Authorization Specialist III | Mesa, AZ | 06/14/2025 | $58,436 |
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