Health Information Technician: career path and pay in the US
Where a Health Information Technician goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 3 steps, from Health Information Technician to Health Information Manager / Director of Health Information.
Also for the United Kingdom: Health Information Technician in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 3 years
Health Information Technician
$35K to $55K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) (optional) - US, NVQ Level 3 (optional) - UK/EU.
Step 2 · 3 to 7 years
Health Information Technician / Senior HIT
$40K to $60K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: RHIT - US, NVQ Level 3 - UK/EU, Specialty Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 7+ years
Health Information Manager / Director of Health Information
$45K to $65K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: RHIT - US, RHIA (optional) - US, NVQ Level 3 - UK/EU, Specialty Certification - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
76% → 52%
Falls 24 points. Each step is harder to automate than the last. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$35K to $55K → $45K to $65K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Health Information Technician ($21.25); this band converts it at 40 hours a week. No US estimate was found for Senior Health Information Technician; this band is placed between the neighbouring steps.
What the work involves
Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.
O*NET does not rate Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars separately; the profile shown is for Medical Records Specialists, the nearest rated occupation.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Knowledge areas
- Administrative
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
- Communications and Media
Education people bring
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Health Information Manager
- Healthcare Administrator
- Compliance Officer
- Data Manager
More Healthcare paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Medical Transcriptionists, Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars, Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Medical Assistants, File Clerks.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.