Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Salaries in NJ

New Jersey's healthcare industry is booming, which creates a high demand for skilled medical billing and coding professionals. Medical billing and coding specialists offer a rewarding career with competitive salaries and growth potential. As a crucial member of the allied healthcare team, you’ll provide expert assistance to patients, insurance companies, and medical providers alike.

To start your career off on the right foot, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about medical billing and coding salaries in New Jersey and its neighboring states — once you finish your medical billing and coding training program, that is! 

Are Medical Billing and Coding Specialists the Same Thing?

In small offices, the same person might perform billing and coding responsibilities, but they’re fundamentally different jobs. Explore the differences below to see which fits your strengths.  

What Do Medical Coding Specialists Do? 

Coding specialists receive detailed notes following every patient interaction at hospitals and clinics. Their main goal is to determine which procedures/diagnoses were carried out and then turn them into medical codes. These numbers help insurance companies accurately determine what services are covered and what needs to be paid for out-of-pocket. 

What Do Medical Billers Do? 

Medical billing specialists analyze and submit patients’ claims based on the ICD codes that medical coders assigned to them. Billers then use medical billing software containing specialized codes that allow medical staff, hospitals, and clinics to accurately bill patients and insurance companies. Billers will probably interact with doctors, patients, and insurance companies to get bills paid and issues resolved quickly.

National Medical Billing and Coding Salaries

The job outlook for medical billing and coding specialists is bright, with a projected job growth of 9%, which is faster than the average for all occupations. In 2024, medical coders made an annual average of $50,250, or over $24 per hour. This career is a solid choice for entry-level workers. Like any job, however, salaries vary depending on where you live. Here’s a snapshot of the pay rates you can expect in the New Jersey area.  

Medical Billing and Coding Salary in New Jersey

 The average medical billing and coding salary in New Jersey is $56,730, or over $27 per hour. The median wage is $49,910 per year. Like any other state, more rural areas have a lower cost of living, while the New York-Newark metro area is one of the most expensive parts of the country. New Jersey salaries will certainly reflect that disparity. 

Medical Billing & Coding Opportunities in New Jersey

The New York-Newark-Jersey City area provides the highest employment numbers in the country, so this is a great place to start searching for an entry-level position. 

How Do Neighboring States Compare?

Medical billing in NJ is a lucrative career move,  so it might seem hard for other states to live up to the high expectations for how much medical billing and coding specialists make. Though the medical and billing job market varies throughout the country, let’s focus on what New Jersey’s closest neighbors offer. 

New York 

New Jersey’s neighbor to the north offers a substantial median salary of $59,750, but if you’re in the metropolitan area, the 75th percentile of medical billing and coding specialists earn $74,430. 

New York also has one of the highest levels of employment in the medical billing and coding industry, with over 8,500 positions available throughout the state.

Connecticut 

The average salary for medical billing and coding in Connecticut can command more than $61,000 (more than $29 per hour). With the growth rate reflecting the national average, there’s ample room to find your dream position. 

Pennsylvania 

Just over the western border, Pennsylvania has a higher-than-average concentration of medical billing and coding jobs. The wages are less competitive as a whole, with an annual average of $50,920 (over $24 per hour).

Delaware

Delaware has a surprisingly strong economy for medical billing specialists, with 1.179 specialists per 1,000 jobs. A certified medical coding specialist's salary can be an average of just over $51,630 annually. 

Medical Billing and Coding from Home

Instead of working in a clinic, one of the latest medical coding and billing trends is the increasingly popular option for remote work. With flexible hours and competitive pay, you can skip the commute and work from anywhere (who doesn’t like saving on daycare costs?). 

While remote work offers plenty of pros, you’ll be responsible for your own IT. If you run into a technical problem, you may be left to figure it out on your own, especially since you won’t be in an office of experienced people.

How to Become a Medical Biller or Medical Coder

Though you may be able to get on-the-job training in a small medical office environment, completing a medical billing and coding program will make your application much more competitive.

From vocational schools to community colleges to online courses, there are plenty of educational options across the country. Choose from a certificate, diploma, or associate degree program.

Most medical billing programs take less than one year, which gets you started in your new career quickly without major student debt. Before you can sign up, however, most schools require a minimum of a high school diploma (or equivalent).

Medical Billing and Coding Training

Training is usually broken down into two parts. Classroom training will include medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology, as well as specialized courses in electronic medical records, medical insurance, billing, coding, and computer applications.

The second part is a clinical internship that provides hands-on experience that puts you ahead of other future job applicants.

Should I Get My Medical Coding Certification?

Besides finishing a billing and coding program, you may want to take it a step further and receive your certification. Several organizations offer certification exams, including the NHA, NCCT, AHIMA, and AAPC.

Certification is an ideal way to show employers that you possess the necessary knowledge and skills. While it’s not required, it will help get your application to the top of the pile. 

How to Advance Your Medical Coding Career

As a rewarding allied health career that provides flexibility and a fast-paced environment, medical billing and coding lets you work in clinics, medical offices, or even at home. Just like in any sector, there are many ways to advance your career and increase your salary.

Earning specialized credentials from AHIMA or AAPC can advance your career by promoting in-demand skills. The AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credential can help to open up more medical coding opportunities in hospitals while updating ever-changing skill sets.

Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in this field provide further knowledge to make critical staffing and management decisions. Registered health information administrators can work in a variety of healthcare settings while managing patient medical records and health information.

Start Your Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Career

Get started in this rewarding and in-demand allied health career with AIMS Education College of Health Sciences. Our mission is to offer high-quality, career-focused education to students wishing to enter the healthcare field. As a student at AIMS, you will get the hands-on training that employers in this field are looking for — let us set you up for success. 

If you’re looking to get started in this growing healthcare field, be sure to check out our online medical billing and coding specialist program. Register for an information session today!