Do medical coders need a license in Virginia?

No statewide license is required for medical coders in Virginia. Most employers expect industry certifications such as CPC, CCS, or RHIT.

How to Become a Medical Coder in Virginia (2026)

Q: How long does medical coder training take in Virginia?

Most people become a Medical Coder in Virginia through a short coding or health-information program plus CPC, CCS, or RHIT; most states do not license these roles.

Q: How much do medical coders earn in Virginia?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), medical coders in Virginia earned a median annual wage of approximately $53,290 (using the related "Medical Records Specialists" BLS category, since medical coder wages are not tracked separately). Employment concentration in Virginia is roughly 0.90 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for medical coders in Virginia?

Virginia currently employs approximately 4,630 workers in the related "Medical Records Specialists" BLS category, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7.1% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated September 2, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Virginia employs about 4,630 medical coders earning a median $53,290 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; proxy category “Medical Records Specialists”). Training as a Medical Coder here means completing a short coding or health-information program plus CPC, CCS, or RHIT; most states do not license these roles.

Compare Medical Coder Schools in Virginia

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Piedmont Virginia Community College	62.2	$5,072 in-state / $11,510 out-of-state	$51,090	39%	Yes*	53 mi
2	Vance-Granville Community College	57.2	$1,944 in-state / $6,552 out-of-state	$47,633	53%	Yes*	68 mi
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3	Brightpoint Community College	54.3	$5,082 in-state / $11,520 out-of-state	$50,344	38%	Yes*	71 mi
4	Virginia Western Community College	54.1	$5,400 in-state / $11,838 out-of-state	$48,004	40%	Yes*	70 mi
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5	Piedmont Community College	52.4	$2,556 in-state / $8,700 out-of-state	$37,251	20%	Yes*	61 mi
6	Central Virginia Community College	50.4	$5,157 in-state / $11,595 out-of-state	$45,157	45%	Yes*	28 mi
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7	Blue Ridge Community College	49.2	$5,646 in-state / $12,084 out-of-state	$51,042	40%	Yes*	70 mi
8	Southside Virginia Community College	47.9	$5,007 in-state / $11,445 out-of-state	$43,979	42%	Yes*	52 mi
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9	Danville Community College	46.4	$4,992 in-state / $11,430 out-of-state	$40,486	39%	Yes*	63 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Virginia employs approximately 4,630 workers in the related “Medical Records Specialists” category (SOC 29-2072), with a median annual wage of $53,290 ¹. Nationally, employment in this category is projected to grow 7.1% from 2024 to 2034, with about 14,200 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Medical Coder in Virginia, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

A note on salary data: The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track medical coder salaries as a separate category. The wage figures on this page are based on the closest matching BLS classification: Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072). Actual medical coder earnings may vary.

At a Glance

Training paths: medical billing, coding, or health-information program (find programs)
Typical timeline: a short coding or health-information program plus CPC, CCS, or RHIT; most states do not license these roles
Exam: CPC, CCS, or RHIT
Median wage (Virginia): $53,290 per year (based on related “Medical Records Specialists” category) ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Medical Coder in Virginia

How to become a Medical Coder in Virginia? Complete a short coding or health-information program plus CPC, CCS, or RHIT; most states do not license these roles. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short coding or health-information program plus CPC, CCS, or RHIT; most states do not license these roles. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Virginia? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect CPC, CCS, or RHIT. See the licensing section below.

What do medical coders earn in Virginia? The BLS does not track medical coder wages separately. Based on the related “Medical Records Specialists” category, the median annual wage in Virginia is $53,290, with entry-level wages around $37,630 and experienced workers earning $78,680 or more ¹.

How to Become a Medical Coder in Virginia

Meet program entry rules. Programs typically require a high school diploma or GED.
Complete a billing, coding, or HIT program. Finish a certificate or associate program. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
Earn CPC, CCS, or RHIT. Pass AAPC CPC, AHIMA CCS, or RHIT depending on the role. Employers typically require a named credential.
No statewide license in most states. Do not invent a licensing board for billers and coders.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Medical Coder License Requirements in Virginia

Most states do not license medical billers, coders, or health-information technicians. Employers expect CPC, CCS, or RHIT.

Typical path

Complete a program.
Earn CPC, CCS, or RHIT.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Medical Coder Wages by Metro Area in Virginia

Medical Records Specialists Wages by Metro Area in Virginia

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), medical records specialists wages in Virginia vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	2,370	$58,810	$63,850	$42,960	$92,540
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk	970	$50,590	$53,970	$37,200	$75,600
Richmond	740	$51,370	$56,530	$38,420	$76,100
Charlottesville	220	$62,600	$59,240	$39,610	$75,290
Roanoke	180	$46,970	$48,540	$31,650	$68,220
Lynchburg	150	$47,180	$51,660	$36,270	$73,910
Kingsport-Bristol	120	$45,830	$46,670	$31,410	$63,490
Winchester	80	$39,560	$45,600	$35,710	$61,270
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford	40	$46,350	$49,760	$35,750	$72,600
Staunton-Stuarts Draft	40	$48,270	$50,240	$34,140	$72,850

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for medical coders in Virginia? Virginia employs approximately 4,630 workers in the related “Medical Records Specialists” category ¹. Nationally, employment in this category is projected to grow 7.1% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Virginia? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Virginia.

How much do medical coders earn in Virginia compared to the national average? The median annual wage for medical coders in Virginia is $53,290 (based on the related “Medical Records Specialists” category), which is $3,040 above the national median of $50,250 according to BLS data ¹.

In Virginia

Best Trade Schools in Virginia (2026)

Explore More Trades in Virginia

Citations

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/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

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)