Wiki Starting Salary for brand-new Coders

[JRush05]

Hello!

I just completed my CPC-A certification this month - I've updated my resume and I'm ready to start job-shopping with more confidence than before!
But, I need help: I'm stuck on what salary/hourly pay I could/should ask for when I start getting interviews!

By the way, I'm brand new to the medical field - I come from an administrative/customer service/call-center background and my last hourly pay was within the $10-13 pay range.

I've read statistics online about starting pay in Medical coding being being $16-24....would it be wise to ask for the minimum of $16 (for full-time or part-time work)? Or should I be more flexible than that? OR should I be more ambitious and ask for more?
Also, what pay range did you yourself ask for? (if you feel comfortable giving that)

Thank you for your help!

P.S., I understand that I may have to get a non-coding job in order to get my foot in the door, and I'm open to doing that as well!

 

[hperry10]

I asked my coding instructor the same question. He felt that for the area I am in - Southeastern Massachusetts- the starting pay for coders with zero experience is 15 - 20 dollars an hour. I did not attempt to negotiate pay with my first job because their offer was closer to the high end of that range. I did not feel it was appropriate to negotiate salary with the limited experience I had.

 

[nomerz]

I was paid $18/hour for my first coding job, however, I had six years of experience in the medical field before moving into coding. Because you're brand new to the field and the job itself, I personally think that $16/hour is fair. You don't want to sell yourself short so I would evaluate yourself as a whole (education, experience, professional accolades) and make sure that you put your best foot forward to get what you deserve. Good luck!

 

[dukems87]

I would recommend checking out the AAPC salary survey for your area and rates per hour based on experience, taking into account that you have no prior experience in healthcare, so perhaps list a range at the lower end of average. If you had been previously working in healthcare you could likely ask for more as entry level, depending upon your role.

Good Luck