Prevailing Wage for Medical Records Specialists
Prevailing wage for Medical Records Specialists under SOC 29-2072 is set by DOL using regional wage surveys covering Health Information Technicians, Health Information Clerks, and Coders across hundreds of metro areas. DOL establishes four experience levels, so the wage floor for a sponsored position depends on both the candidate's background and the specific worksite city.
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Entry-level candidates with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates or those new to health information systems. Work is closely supervised, tasks are routine, and independent judgment is minimal. Most employers filing for fresh graduates or career-changers into medical coding place candidates here.
Qualified candidates with some professional experience who work with general supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Medical Records Specialists, covering staff coders and health information technicians who handle standard coding and records workflows independently.
Experienced professionals who work with only occasional supervision, often managing complex cases, auditing coding accuracy, or training junior staff. Candidates at this level typically hold specialty credentials such as CCS or CPC alongside several years of hands-on experience.
Fully competent senior specialists who set standards, lead coding departments, or function as compliance officers. These professionals exercise independent judgment on complex records issues, provide authoritative guidance, and may supervise teams of coders or health information staff.
Prevailing Wage for Medical Records Specialists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Medical Records Specialists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title mismatches that shift your wage floor
Job postings labeled Health Information Coordinator or Clinical Documentation Specialist sometimes get filed under a different SOC code, moving the prevailing wage benchmark. Verify your offer letter and the LCA list the SOC 29-2072 floor before signing.
Factor out productivity bonuses before comparing floors
Many health system employers pay per-chart or per-code productivity bonuses on top of base salary. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against guaranteed base pay only, so a total compensation figure that includes variable coding bonuses can obscure whether the base meets the floor.
Flag the gap between Puerto Rico metros and California markets
The spread between the lowest-paying metros for this occupation and top California markets like San Jose or San Francisco is exceptionally wide. If your employer has facilities in multiple states, confirm the LCA lists your actual worksite city, not a lower-cost office location.
Search Migrate Mate to see which employers sponsor this role
Health information departments at large hospital systems and academic medical centers file the most sponsorships for Medical Records Specialists. Migrate Mate shows each employer's historical sponsorship counts, so you can focus applications on facilities with a real track record for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for Medical Records SpecialistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2072.00 alongside Medical Records Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Coder Prevailing Wage
Coder Prevailing Wage
Coder positions fall under SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Health Information Clerk Prevailing Wage
Health Information Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Health Information Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Health Information Specialist Prevailing Wage
Health Information Specialist Prevailing Wage
Health Information Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Health Information Technician (Health Information Tech) Prevailing Wage
Health Information Technician (Health Information Tech) Prevailing Wage
Health Information Technician (Health Information Tech) positions fall under SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Medical Records Clerk Prevailing Wage
Medical Records Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Medical Records Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Medical Records Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Medical Records Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Medical Records Coordinator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Medical Records Technician (Medical Records Tech) Prevailing Wage
Medical Records Technician (Medical Records Tech) Prevailing Wage
Medical Records Technician (Medical Records Tech) positions fall under SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) Prevailing Wage
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2072.00 (Medical Records Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Medical Records Specialists?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employers across every metro area. For SOC 29-2072, those survey results are published in the OFLC Wage Search tool. Employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the DOL-determined wage for the experience level and worksite location listed on the Labor Condition Application.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL defines four levels based on supervision, complexity, and independent judgment. Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified staff working independently on standard tasks; Level 3 applies to experienced professionals handling complex cases with minimal oversight; Level 4 covers fully competent senior or lead roles. Your employer assigns a level when filing the LCA, and it must accurately reflect the actual duties in the job description.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much between cities?
DOL derives wages from regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects what employers in each metro actually pay. Dense healthcare markets with higher costs of living, such as San Francisco or Seattle, produce higher survey results than rural or lower-cost regions. The LCA rule requires employers to use the wage for the actual worksite, so a remote-work arrangement or a position at a satellite office in a lower-wage area will use that location's floor, not a headquarters city's rate.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file a compliant LCA or H-1B petition at a wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor for the declared level and worksite. USCIS will reject or deny a petition where the offered wage is insufficient. For green card PERM cases, OFLC will audit or deny a filing where the job order wage is below the prevailing wage determination. The employer must either increase the offered salary or document why a different wage level or worksite applies.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Medical Records Specialists at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, select SOC code 29-2072, and enter the metro area that matches your worksite. The tool returns all four wage levels for that location. Cross-check against recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages comparable employers have listed for health information roles in that market. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers in a target city have a history of sponsoring this occupation.
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