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Authorization specialist salary
Average authorization specialist salary
$36,518
Understanding the Salary of Authorization Specialists
Authorization Specialists are integral to the healthcare industry, facilitating the approval of medical services and ensuring financial compliance. As of October 2025, the average salary for these professionals is $36,518 per year, translating to approximately $18 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, location, and the specific healthcare sector.
Salary Variations by State
States such as California and New York often offer higher salaries for Authorization Specialists due to the cost of living and demand for healthcare services. For instance, professionals in these states may earn upwards of $45,000 annually. In contrast, states with lower living costs may offer salaries closer to the national average.
Experience Matters
Entry-level positions typically start lower, around $30,000, while those with several years of experience can earn significantly more, reflecting their expertise and contribution to healthcare operations.
Career Opportunities
With a growing emphasis on effective healthcare administration, the demand for skilled Authorization Specialists is expected to rise, making this a promising career path for those interested in the healthcare field.
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Where can an Authorization Specialist earn more?
Authorization specialist salaries by experience level
Authorization specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average authorization specialist salary by state
The average authorization specialist salary in Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average authorization specialist salary states are Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for authorization specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $56,677 | $27.25 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $46,613 | $22.41 |
| 3 | Alaska | $47,268 | $22.73 |
| 4 | Maryland | $55,837 | $26.84 |
| 5 | Illinois | $47,993 | $23.07 |
| 6 | New York | $49,400 | $23.75 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $48,691 | $23.41 |
| 8 | Michigan | $42,840 | $20.60 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $47,585 | $22.88 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $42,009 | $20.20 |
| 11 | Vermont | $45,659 | $21.95 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $46,326 | $22.27 |
| 13 | Washington | $40,276 | $19.36 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $44,461 | $21.38 |
| 15 | Maine | $38,349 | $18.44 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $40,366 | $19.41 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $41,156 | $19.79 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $43,486 | $20.91 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $53,070 | $25.51 |
| 20 | Ohio | $40,428 | $19.44 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $37,631 | $18.09 |
| 22 | Delaware | $45,926 | $22.08 |
| 23 | Oregon | $37,885 | $18.21 |
| 24 | Iowa | $37,089 | $17.83 |
| 25 | Indiana | $35,537 | $17.09 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $35,962 | $17.29 |
| 27 | Missouri | $36,682 | $17.64 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $38,038 | $18.29 |
| 29 | Kansas | $36,218 | $17.41 |
| 30 | Arizona | $33,688 | $16.20 |
| 31 | Montana | $36,679 | $17.63 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $34,997 | $16.83 |
| 33 | Idaho | $35,391 | $17.01 |
| 34 | Virginia | $38,001 | $18.27 |
| 35 | Nevada | $34,978 | $16.82 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $34,946 | $16.80 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $31,859 | $15.32 |
| 38 | Florida | $31,762 | $15.27 |
| 39 | Colorado | $35,603 | $17.12 |
| 40 | Texas | $33,597 | $16.15 |
| 41 | California | $37,484 | $18.02 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $33,777 | $16.24 |
| 43 | Georgia | $33,405 | $16.06 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $30,822 | $14.82 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $32,850 | $15.79 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $31,936 | $15.35 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $29,809 | $14.33 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $27,425 | $13.19 |
| 49 | Utah | $29,693 | $14.28 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $27,990 | $13.46 |
| 51 | Alabama | $31,318 | $15.06 |
Highest paying cities for authorization specialists
The highest-paying cities for authorization specialists are Milford, MA, Frederick, MD, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milford, MA | $57,136 | $27.47 |
| 2 | Frederick, MD | $55,581 | $26.72 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $49,752 | $23.92 |
| 4 | Camden, NJ | $48,815 | $23.47 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $48,432 | $23.28 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $47,261 | $22.72 |
| 7 | Allentown, PA | $47,053 | $22.62 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,346 | $22.28 |
| 9 | Renton, WA | $40,307 | $19.38 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa, CA | $38,926 | $18.71 |
| 11 | Dayton, OH | $38,266 | $18.40 |
| 12 | Springfield, OR | $37,815 | $18.18 |
| 13 | Charlottesville, VA | $37,654 | $18.10 |
| 14 | Cape Girardeau, MO | $36,251 | $17.43 |
| 15 | Wichita, KS | $35,841 | $17.23 |
| 16 | Grand Junction, CO | $35,412 | $17.02 |
| 17 | Mooresville, NC | $35,367 | $17.00 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $35,004 | $16.83 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $33,600 | $16.15 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $33,429 | $16.07 |
Authorization specialist salary details
An authorization specialist's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an authorization specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,518 | $3,043 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying authorization specialist jobs
The highest paying types of authorization specialists are specialist, scheduling specialist, and intake specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient Access Representative | $33,603 | $2,800 | $16.16 | 151,077 |
| Patient Care Representative | $33,709 | $2,809 | $16.21 | 133,317 |
| Patient Service Representative | $32,476 | $2,706 | $15.61 | 165,920 |
| Patient Representative | $32,469 | $2,706 | $15.61 | 137,803 |
| Registration Representative | $34,021 | $2,835 | $16.36 | 118,803 |
| Patient Registrar | $33,494 | $2,791 | $16.10 | 86,721 |
Top companies hiring authorization specialists now:
Which companies pay authorization specialists the most?
Authorization specialist salaries at Guidehouse and Westinghouse Appliances Australia are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average authorization specialist salary at companies like Cognizant and Catholic Health East are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guidehouse | $81,118 | $39.00 |
| 2 | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | $80,104 | $38.51 |
| 3 | Cognizant | $70,628 | $33.96 |
| 4 | Catholic Health East | $58,359 | $28.06 |
| 5 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $55,702 | $26.78 |
| 6 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $54,239 | $26.08 |
| 7 | Prime Healthcare | $53,642 | $25.79 |
| 8 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $49,248 | $23.68 |
| 9 | UBS | $49,086 | $23.60 |
| 10 | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital | $47,002 | $22.60 |
| 11 | General Dynamics | $46,904 | $22.55 |
| 12 | Myriad Genetics | $45,443 | $21.85 |
| 13 | Health Alliance | $44,831 | $21.55 |
| 14 | Lancaster General Health | $43,054 | $20.70 |
| 15 | Grene Vision Group | $42,878 | $20.61 |
| 16 | eyecarecenter | $42,725 | $20.54 |
| 17 | Southern Ohio Medical Center | $42,161 | $20.27 |
| 18 | Telecare | $41,200 | $19.81 |
| 19 | Loma Linda University Health | $40,446 | $19.45 |
| 20 | University of Kentucky | $40,434 | $19.44 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Authorization specialist salary trends
The average authorization specialist salary has risen by $5,320 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average authorization specialist earned $31,198 annually, but today, they earn $36,518 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for authorization specialists over the last decade.
Compare authorization specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average authorization specialist salary over time
Compare authorization specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Authorization specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $36,500 | $17.56 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $35,400 | $17.01 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $34,400 | $16.54 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $33,500 | $16.12 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $32,900 | $15.83 | +1.8% |
Recently added authorization specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interim Healthcare | Insurance Authorization Specialist | Fort Collins, CO | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Searhc | Authorization Specialist | Juneau, AK | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| St. Francis Medical Center | System Authorization Specialist | Cape Girardeau, MO | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Hopebridge, LLC | Authorization Specialist | Indianapolis, IN | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Radia Medical Imaging | Insurance Authorization Specialist | Olympia, WA | 06/28/2025 | $47,813 |
| Centene Corporation | Authorization Specialist II | Sacramento, CA | 06/27/2025 | $36,523 |
| Global Medical Response | Transport Authorization Division Specialist | Tallahassee, FL | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| Ensemble RCM | Insurance Authorization Specialist | Enon, OH | 06/27/2025 | $32,870 |
| Invision Sally Jobe | Pre-Authorization Specialist | Englewood, CO | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Option Care Health | Benefits and Authorization Specialist | Austin, TX | 06/26/2025 | $36,564 |
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