New York GuideUpdated April 28, 20264 min read

How to Become a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist in New York

Learn how to become a medical biller and coder in New York. Our guide covers medical billing and coding certification, licensing, training, and jobs.

HealthJob Editors
HealthJob Editors

Health Care Career Specialist

Medical Billing and Coding Specialist in New York

New York employs 8,510 medical billing and coding specialists at $47,220 median — 6% below the national average in a state where living costs run 15% above national. Five SUNY and CUNY programs offer certificates starting at $3,000, but only Lehman College provides AAPC-approved curriculum that employers recognize.

Salary and employment data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS New York

New York · Training Path

How to Become a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist in New York

New York's community college system offers multiple entry points, though program quality varies significantly across SUNY and CUNY campuses.

  1. 1

    Associate Degree in Health Information Technology or Medical Coding

    education

    2 years · $18,000-$32,000

    Complete an associate degree covering medical terminology, ICD-10-CM, CPT, HCPCS, reimbursement systems, compliance, and electronic health record workflows. Certificate programs exist, but the associate path remains common and is preferred by many employers.

  2. 2

    Coding Practicum or Externship

    training licensing

    4 months · $0-$1,000

    Complete supervised coding or revenue-cycle practicum hours in a hospital, physician office, or billing environment to translate classroom knowledge into real-world workflows.

  3. 3

    CPC or CBCS Certification

    training licensing

    2 months · $299-$399

    Pass a widely recognized entry-level coding exam such as the AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or NHA Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

  4. 4

    Medical Billing and Coding Specialist

    career

    Ongoing ·

    Begin entry-level coding and billing work in hospitals, physician offices, insurers, or vendor partners assigning codes, processing claims, and supporting revenue-cycle operations.

Accredited Programs · New York

Accredited Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Programs in New York

Accreditation matters because New York's licensing board typically only recognizes graduates from programs vetted by a national body. The programs below hold active accreditation and are in good standing as of the last verification date.

5 of ~undefined accredited programs in New York

InstitutionCredentialLengthEstimated CostAccreditation
SUNY Schenectady County Community College

Schenectady

Certificate1 yr$4,400–$5,500Regional accreditation only (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). No CAHIIM or AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders) programmatic accreditation for this certificate.
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY)

New York

Certificate4 mo$3,000–$3,500Regional accreditation only (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). No CAHIIM or AAPC programmatic accreditation for this CE program.
SUNY Rockland Community College

Suffern

Certificate3 mo$2,997Regional accreditation only (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). No CAHIIM or AAPC programmatic accreditation for this workforce program.
Lehman College (CUNY)

Bronx

Certificate1y 6mo$5,400–$5,500Regional accreditation only (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). AAPC-approved curriculum. No CAHIIM programmatic accreditation.
Suffolk County Community College

Selden

Certificate1 yr$5,000–$6,000Regional accreditation only (Middle States Commission on Higher Education). No CAHIIM or AAPC programmatic accreditation.

Loading programs...

Last verified 2026-04-05. Program details — including tuition, duration, and accreditation — verified against each institution's official website.

New York · Licensing Authority

Licensing and Certification in New York

New York regulates this career through the credentials below. The “issuing body” is the organization that awards and renews the credential — some are national associations, others are New York's own licensing authority.

CredentialIssuing BodyTypeRequirement
CPC (Certified Professional Coder) (AAPC)American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)certificationvoluntary
CCS (AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association))American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)certificationalternative
CBCS (NHA (National Healthcareer Association))National Healthcareer Association (NHA)certificationalternative

New York · BLS OEWS 2024

Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Salary in New York

AAPC certification costs $300 but employers in New York's competitive health care market treat it as essential rather than optional.

$47,220-6% vs. national($50,250)
$47k$99k

10th

$47,216

25th

$59,758

Median

$47,220

75th

$74,443

90th

$98,904

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS · 8,510 employed in New York

HealthJob Analysis · New York

Is It Worth It? ROI in New York

Year 4

Break-even

$828k

20-year net

$26k

Education cost

20-year net earnings = cumulative income minus education cost and the years you weren't earning.

Assumes New York median salary of $47,220, 2% annual wage growth, no loan interest. Does not account for cost of living.

HealthJob Analysis · New York

AI & Automation for Medical Billing and Coding Specialists in New York

Major New York health systems like NYU Langone and NewYork-Presbyterian have deployed AI coding tools from Epic and 3M, but they use human coders to review complex cases and handle insurance denials.

Tasks that are changing

  • AI handles major parts
  • AI augments
  • AI assists
  • Human-only
  • Retrieve patient medical records for staff

    EHR search and access fundamentally changes retrieval from manual filing to digital querying, altering workflow.

  • Compile and maintain patient medical records

  • Enter patient data into computer

    EHR systems like Epic streamline data entry with forms and autocomplete, making workers faster but not replacing the entry process.

  • Code patient data using classification systems

  • Maintain health record indexes and retrieval systems

    EHR platforms like Epic handle indexing, storage, and retrieval automatically, assisting specialists in management.

  • Process patient admission or discharge documents

    EHR systems automate much of admission/discharge paperwork generation and processing.

  • Scan health records into electronic formats

    OCR and scanning software handle major digitization, with humans handling exceptions; widespread in transition to EHR.

  • Assign patient to DRGs using software

AI products in use today

  • Electronic Health Record (EHR)Varioussource
  • Epic SystemsEpicsource
  • 3M Encoder3Msource

New York · Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do medical billing and coding specialists make in New York?
Medical billing and coding specialists in New York earn $47,220 median salary, ranging from $47,216 at the 10th percentile to $98,904 at the 90th percentile. The state pays 6% below national average despite higher living costs.
What certification do I need for medical billing and coding in New York?
New York requires no state license for medical billing and coding specialists. However, most employers require AAPC CPC certification ($300 exam) or AHIMA CCS certification ($399 exam), with hospital systems typically preferring the CCS credential.
Which New York colleges offer medical coding programs?
Five New York community colleges offer medical coding certificates, ranging from $3,000-$5,500 tuition. Only Lehman College (CUNY) provides AAPC-approved curriculum that employers specifically recognize, while other programs offer regional accreditation only.
How long does medical coding training take in New York?
Medical coding certificate programs in New York range from 3 months (SUNY Rockland) to 18 months (Lehman College). Most programs run 12 months and cost $4,000-$6,000 at SUNY and CUNY schools.
Is medical coding in demand in New York?
New York employs 8,510 medical billing and coding specialists with 7.8% projected growth through 2032. Major health systems like Mount Sinai and NYU Langone continue hiring despite AI automation because complex cases still require human expertise.