How long does health information technician training take?

Certificate programs often run about 9 to 12 months. An associate degree in health information technology, the usual path to the AHIMA RHIT credential, typically takes about two years. A high school diploma or GED is generally required to get started.

How much do health information technicians make?

BLS groups this work under medical records specialists. The median annual wage was $51,140 as of May 2025. The 10th percentile was about $37,000 and the 90th percentile was about $81,150.

Do you need a college degree to work as a health information technician?

A bachelor's degree is not required for most HIT roles. Many people enter through a certificate or an associate degree. The Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential from AHIMA requires graduating from a CAHIIM-accredited associate program.

Is certification required for health information technicians?

Most states do not license this occupation. Employers often prefer a national credential. Common options include the AHIMA RHIT for HIT graduates and coding credentials such as the CCA or CCS from AHIMA or the CPC from AAPC for records work that is mainly coding.

What is the job outlook for health information technicians?

BLS projects 7.1% employment growth for medical records specialists from 2024 to 2034, with about 14,200 openings per year from growth, retirements, and people leaving the occupation.

How is a health information technician different from a medical coder?

Coders mainly assign ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS codes for billing. Health information technicians manage the full medical record: quality, privacy, release of information, and data integrity. Coding is often part of the job, not the whole job.

How to Become a Health Information Technician in 2026

Updated September 1, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks medical records specialists under SOC code 29-2072. As of May 2025 OEWS data, the median annual wage is $51,140 ($24.59/hr), with 194,720 workers employed nationwide. BLS projects employment to grow 7.1% from 2024 to 2034, with about 14,200 openings expected each year.

Key Takeaways

Median pay: $51,140 per year ($24.59/hr)
Top 10% earn: more than $81,150 per year ($39.01/hr)
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $37,000 per year ($17.79/hr)
Projected growth: 7.1% from 2024 to 2034
Annual job openings: ~14,200 per year through 2034
Workers employed nationwide: 194,720
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia (median $72,040)
State with most workers: Florida (21,490 employed)

Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025; BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034. Last reviewed September 1, 2026.

Quick answer: Most people train as a health information technician in 9 months to 2 years. A certificate covers records and coding basics. An associate degree from a CAHIIM-accredited program is the usual path to the AHIMA RHIT credential. No state license is required in most places. BLS reports a median wage of $51,140 for medical records specialists (May 2025) and about 14,200 openings a year (2024-2034 projections).

Health information technicians keep patient records accurate, complete, and private. They work in hospitals, clinics, and health systems on electronic health records, release of information, data quality, and often medical coding. The occupation does not require a four-year degree for most roles.

BLS publishes wages for this work under medical records specialists (SOC 29-2072). That table also covers medical billers and coders. This page is the career hub for the HIT / RHIT path. For coding-first training see how to become a medical coder and medical billing and coding.

What a health information technician does

HIT staff sit between clinical teams, billing, and privacy officers. Typical work includes:

Assembling and checking the medical record for completeness
Using ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS when the role includes coding
Processing release-of-information requests under HIPAA
Tracking chart deficiencies and physician queries
Maintaining EHR data quality and audit trails
Supporting quality, compliance, and cancer-registry teams

The job is mostly indoor, computer-based work. Accuracy and privacy rules matter more than lifting or patient-facing care.

How to become a health information technician

1. Meet the basic requirements

A high school diploma or GED is the usual starting point. Biology, anatomy, keyboarding, and computer classes help. HIPAA training is taught in the program; you do not need it before you enroll.

2. Choose a certificate or an associate degree

Certificate programs (about 9 to 12 months) cover medical terminology, records procedures, and introductory coding. They fit people who want records or coding support roles quickly.

Associate degrees in health information technology (about two years) add data standards, reimbursement, privacy law, and a professional practice experience. Graduating from a CAHIIM-accredited associate program is the eligibility route for the AHIMA RHIT exam.

Confirm accreditation with the school and with CAHIIM before you enroll if the RHIT is your goal. Individual outcomes may vary.

3. Get supervised practice

Most associate programs include a practicum in a hospital HIM department. You will use a live or training EHR, process releases, and code sample charts under supervision. That placement is often how graduates hear about openings.

4. Earn a credential

RHIT (AHIMA): associate graduate of a CAHIIM-accredited HIT program; the credential employers look for in HIM departments.
CCA or CCS (AHIMA) / CPC (AAPC): coding credentials when the job is mainly coding rather than full-record management.
RHIA (AHIMA): the bachelor’s-level HIM credential. See online health information management degrees.

Exam fees and eligibility rules change. Confirm the current fee and handbook on the AHIMA or AAPC site before you register.

5. Apply for records and HIM jobs

Hospitals, physician groups, payers, and vendors hire HIT graduates. Job titles include health information technician, medical records specialist, release-of-information specialist, and inpatient or outpatient coder. After a few years, people move into HIM supervisor, privacy, or data-quality roles, or into an RHIA-track bachelor’s program.

Pay and outlook

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for medical records specialists (SOC 29-2072), May 2025:

Measure	Figure
Median annual wage	$51,140 ($24.59/hour)
10th percentile	$37,000
90th percentile	$81,150
Employment	194,720
Projected growth, 2024-2034	7.1%
Annual openings, 2024-2034	about 14,200

Pay varies by setting, credential, and state. These are occupation-wide figures, not a promise of what any graduate will earn.

HIT compared with nearby careers

Path	Typical credential	Usual training	Focus
Health information technician	RHIT	Associate (CAHIIM)	Full medical record, privacy, data quality
Medical coder	CPC, CCA, CCS	Certificate or associate	ICD-10-CM, CPT, HCPCS for billing
Medical biller	CBCS or similar	Certificate	Claims, posting, denial follow-up
HIM bachelor’s / RHIA	RHIA	Bachelor’s	Department leadership and analytics

City program listings for this trade live under /trade-school/{state}/{city}/best-health-information-technician-programs/.

Health Information Technician Salary and Requirements by State

Select your state for local wage data, training options, and requirements:

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming

Health Information Technician Salary by State

State	Median annual	Top 10% annual
District of Columbia	$72,040	$128,010
California	$61,810	$102,470
New York	$61,720	$101,940
Washington	$62,270	$98,130
Hawaii	$63,180	$91,650
Alaska	$61,090	$90,530
Connecticut	$60,940	$88,900
Rhode Island	$63,960	$84,540
New Jersey	$50,240	$83,650
Minnesota	$61,530	$83,020
Colorado	$59,020	$82,980
Utah	$52,870	$82,640
Maryland	$54,220	$82,090
Massachusetts	$60,350	$81,620
Georgia	$51,550	$81,580
Nevada	$50,300	$81,140
Oregon	$59,000	$81,120
Tennessee	$48,780	$79,960
North Dakota	$46,280	$79,800
Wisconsin	$60,280	$79,720
North Carolina	$49,620	$79,670
Wyoming	$54,210	$79,530
Ohio	$50,990	$79,290
Indiana	$47,670	$79,270
Virginia	$53,290	$78,680
Texas	$48,860	$78,390
Kansas	$48,160	$77,910
Pennsylvania	$46,840	$77,880
Idaho	$53,460	$77,840
Vermont	$57,560	$77,580
Illinois	$56,440	$77,520
Delaware	$56,060	$77,500
Louisiana	$44,610	$77,080
Michigan	$48,120	$77,080
Missouri	$50,750	$77,010
South Dakota	$51,610	$76,950
Florida	$45,760	$76,850
Maine	$52,090	$76,660
New Mexico	$57,470	$76,460
Arizona	$47,630	$75,430
West Virginia	$47,360	$75,000
Nebraska	$51,670	$74,990
Oklahoma	$53,460	$74,710
Kentucky	$48,410	$74,520
South Carolina	$54,280	$71,280
New Hampshire	$49,210	$68,980
Iowa	$50,640	$66,390
Arkansas	$41,740	$65,090
Alabama	$43,810	$64,730
Montana	$50,190	$64,540
Mississippi	$41,500	$61,580

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

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/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)