Quick answer:Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars in California earn a median $90,750 per year, above the national median of $68,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 2,920 of them. Licensing runs through the credentialing requirements of the employers you are targeting.
Health Information Management Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$90,750
$68,020
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$57,770
$39,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$65,020
$48,940
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$133,610
$95,630
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$167,650
$117,420
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
2,920
38,100
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.65
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
14.7%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $90,750 sits above the national median of $68,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.65 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Health information roles follow hospital systems and payer operations in a region, and the field supports remote work more than most healthcare occupations, so local employment understates the accessible market.
This is a certification-driven field rather than a licensed one. There is generally no state license to practice health information management. The national constants are programmatic accreditation through CAHIIM and the AHIMA credentials it makes graduates eligible for, RHIT at the associate level and RHIA at the bachelor’s level, which is what employers recruit against.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the credentialing requirements of the employers you are targeting that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 150 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
How much do health information technologists and medical registrars make in California?
The median annual wage for health information technologists and medical registrars in California is $90,750, above the national median of $68,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $65,020 at the 25th percentile to $133,610 at the 75th.
How many health information technologists and medical registrars work in California?
California holds about 2,920 health information manager jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 38,100, and BLS projects about 3,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a health information manager in California?
This is a certification-driven field rather than a licensed one. There is generally no state license to practice health information management. The national constants are programmatic accreditation through CAHIIM and the AHIMA credentials it makes graduates eligible for, RHIT at the associate level and RHIA at the bachelor's level, which is what employers recruit against. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the credentialing requirements of the employers you are targeting before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a CAHIIM-accredited health information management degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the credentialing requirements of the employers you are targeting.
What is the highest-paying area of California for health information technologists and medical registrars?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $126,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for health information technologists and medical registrars?
On pay, the state median of $90,750 sits above the national $68,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.65 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars (SOC 29-9021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
