Health Information Technology Salary: 2024 Guide

Information technology (IT) and health care are both fast-growing fields with a range of lucrative career paths. It’s little surprise, then, that many job seekers are exploring health information technology jobs more and more. 

How much can you expect to earn exactly? And, what careers might you consider pursuing in the field?

In this article, you’ll learn more about health information technology jobs, what they pay, and the job outlook for the field. You’ll also find suggested cost-effective courses to start gaining job-relevant skills today. 

Health information technology: Job outlook and salary range

Health information technology is a growing field encompassing a wide range of jobs. In this section, you’ll explore the job outlook for the field and the salary range you can expect from some of its most common jobs. 

Job outlook

The overall job outlook for health information technology is very positive. While there aren’t any official statistics about the precise job growth for the field, related job data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) paints a sunny picture for the profession. 

According to the US BLS, the overall number of jobs for health care is projected to grow by 13 percent between 2021 and 2031, resulting in about 2 million new jobs over the decade [1]. What’s more, during the same period, the US BLS projects that jobs within the field of computer and information technology will grow by 15 percent, creating nearly 700,000 new jobs throughout the decade [2]. Both of these outpace the 5-percent job growth the BLS projects for all combined jobs during the same period. 

As a result, considering these two data sets side-by-side, it’s reasonable to assume that jobs within health information technology will share a similarly positive outlook over the coming years. 

Read more: Is Health Care a Good Career Path? Outlook, Jobs, and More

Salary range

The pay you can expect to earn from a health information technology job varies considerably from one role to another. 

While individuals working in software development earn an average base pay of $95,658 a year, registered health information technicians (RHIT) earn an average base salary of $43,632, according to Glassdoor. As with any job, your work experience, geographic location, and employer demand all contribute to how much you can expect to earn. 

Read more: What Do Health Care Jobs Pay? Salaries, Job List, and More

Health information technology jobs and salaries 

Whether you’re looking for an entry-level position handling electronic health records or want a more senior-level, technology-heavy position, health care information technology has something for you. 

Both IT and health care include a wide range of different jobs. While some of the jobs in health information technology are common IT positions found in other fields, such as IT manager or IT specialist, others are specific to health care itself, like registered health information technician or medical records technician. Other jobs, meanwhile, may focus on the development side of digital health, such as software development. 

To give you a sense of the jobs you might pursue in health information technology and the pay you can expect to earn, here’s the average base pay for several positions in the field, according to Glassdoor: 

Note: All salary data is taken from Glassdoor unless otherwise stated. Salary information is derived from the average base salary in the United States for each position, not including additional compensation like bonuses, tips, commissions, or profit sharing.  

Health information technology salary by education

The degree you hold can have a big impact on both the jobs you qualify for and how much you earn. While it’s possible to land some of these jobs with only previous work experience, a high school diploma, and a professional certificate, many employers might look favorably on applicants with a college degree. 

Health information technology associate degree salary 

Associate degrees can prepare you for a range of both IT and health IT positions. In fact, while many employers may prefer candidates with bachelor’s degrees, the truth is that many are also willing to consider applicants for IT positions who possess only associate degrees, a certificate, and/ or have some related experience. 

Here are some jobs you may qualify for with an associate degree in health information technology, IT, or a related field: 

Health information technology Bachelor degree salary 

A bachelor’s degree is the most common credential employers require health IT applicants to possess. Typically, applicants should have a degree in information technology, information technology management, computer science, or computer engineering.

Some of the Health IT jobs you may qualify for with a bachelor’s degree include:

Read more: Do I Need an Information Technology Degree? 4 Things to Consider

Get started with Coursera 

As a health information technology professional, you’ll use your knowledge of computers and information systems to help medical professionals provide the best possible care. If you’re considering a career in health IT, you might consider taking a flexible, cost-effective course through Coursera today. 

In Google’s IT Support Professional Certificate, you’ll learn to perform day-to-day IT support tasks including computer assembly, wireless networking, installing programs, and customer service in as little as six months. At the end, you’ll receive a professional certificate that you can put on your resume and show employers to demonstrate your knowledge and job-relevant skills.