How much do medical billing and coding specialists make in Texas?

Medical billing and coding specialists in Texas earn a median of $37,780 per year, which is 25% below the national average. The 10th percentile earns $37,773 while the 90th percentile reaches $77,147, showing significant room for growth with experience and specialization.

What certification do I need for medical billing and coding jobs in Texas?

Most Texas employers require AAPC's CPC certification ($399) for physician office coding or AHIMA's CCS certification ($395) for hospital coding positions. No state license is required, but 85% of job postings list certification as a minimum requirement rather than just preferred.

How long does medical billing and coding training take in Texas?

Texas community colleges offer medical coding certificates ranging from 4 months to 12 months. North Central Texas College offers a 4-month program for $700-$1,200, while Lone Star College provides a comprehensive 12-month CAHIIM-accredited program for $3,300-$4,000.

Can I work remotely as a medical coder in Texas?

Many Texas medical coding positions offer remote work options, especially after gaining 2-3 years of experience. Large health systems like HCA Healthcare and Tenet allow experienced coders to work from home, though entry-level positions typically require on-site training for 6-12 months.

What's the job outlook for medical coders in Texas?

Texas employs 20,390 medical billing and coding specialists with demand growing 7.8% nationally through 2032. The state's large health care industry and aging population drive consistent hiring, particularly in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin metropolitan areas.

Medical Biller & Coder in Texas — Salary, Schools, Licensing

Texas employs 20,390 medical billing and coding specialists at a $37,780 median — 25% below the national average despite the state's massive health care industry. The disconnect reflects Texas's lower cost of living and the concentration of coding jobs in smaller markets outside Houston and Dallas. But at under $4,000 for training at community colleges, the path to break-even remains fast.

Salary and employment data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Texas

Texas · Training Path

How to Become a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist in Texas

Five community colleges across Texas offer coding certificates, from a 4-month workforce program for $700 in Gainesville to a full 12-month CAHIIM-accredited track for $4,000 in Houston.

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
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
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
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 · Texas

Accredited Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Programs in Texas

Accreditation matters because Texas'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 Texas

Institution	Credential	Length	Estimated Cost	Accreditation
Lone Star College Houston	Certificate	1 yr	$3,300–$4,000	CAHIIM-accredited Health Information Technology program (SACSCOC regional accreditation). HIT program accredited by CAHIIM; coding certificate is a subset.
Austin Community College Austin	Certificate	6 mo	$6,000–$6,400	Regional accreditation only (SACSCOC). No CAHIIM or AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders) programmatic accreditation for this CE program.
North Central Texas College Gainesville	Certificate	4 mo	$700–$1,200	Regional accreditation only (SACSCOC). No CAHIIM or AAPC programmatic accreditation.
Alvin Community College Alvin	Certificate	4 mo	$2,200–$2,800	Regional accreditation only (SACSCOC). No CAHIIM or AAPC programmatic accreditation for this workforce program.
Northeast Texas Community College Mount Pleasant	Certificate	1 yr	$2,500–$3,500	Regional accreditation only (SACSCOC). 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.

Texas · Licensing Authority

Licensing and Certification in Texas

Texas 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 Texas's own licensing authority.

Credential	Issuing Body	Type	Requirement
CPC (Certified Professional Coder) (AAPC)	American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)	certification	voluntary
CCS (AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association))	American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)	certification	alternative
CBCS (NHA (National Healthcareer Association))	National Healthcareer Association (NHA)	certification	alternative

Texas · BLS OEWS 2024

Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Salary in Texas

Certificate programs cost $700-$6,400 depending on length and accreditation — here's what Texas employers pay for that investment.

$37,780-25% vs. national($50,250)

10th

$37,773

25th

$47,237

Median

$37,780

75th

$61,984

90th

$77,147

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS · 20,390 employed in Texas

HealthJob Analysis · Texas

Is It Worth It? ROI in Texas

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 Texas median salary of $37,780, 2% annual wage growth, no loan interest. Does not account for cost of living.

HealthJob Analysis · Texas

AI & Automation for Medical Billing and Coding Specialists in Texas

High AI ImpactSee full AI impact data →

In Texas, major health systems like Houston Methodist and Baylor Scott & White are piloting AI coding tools, but smaller physician practices that employ most coders are slower to adopt automation due to cost and integration complexity.

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 Systems — Epicsource
3M Encoder — 3Msource

Texas · Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do medical billing and coding specialists make in Texas?: Medical billing and coding specialists in Texas earn a median of $37,780 per year, which is 25% below the national average. The 10th percentile earns $37,773 while the 90th percentile reaches $77,147, showing significant room for growth with experience and specialization.
What certification do I need for medical billing and coding jobs in Texas?: Most Texas employers require AAPC's CPC certification ($399) for physician office coding or AHIMA's CCS certification ($395) for hospital coding positions. No state license is required, but 85% of job postings list certification as a minimum requirement rather than just preferred.
How long does medical billing and coding training take in Texas?: Texas community colleges offer medical coding certificates ranging from 4 months to 12 months. North Central Texas College offers a 4-month program for $700-$1,200, while Lone Star College provides a comprehensive 12-month CAHIIM-accredited program for $3,300-$4,000.
Can I work remotely as a medical coder in Texas?: Many Texas medical coding positions offer remote work options, especially after gaining 2-3 years of experience. Large health systems like HCA Healthcare and Tenet allow experienced coders to work from home, though entry-level positions typically require on-site training for 6-12 months.
What's the job outlook for medical coders in Texas?: Texas employs 20,390 medical billing and coding specialists with demand growing 7.8% nationally through 2032. The state's large health care industry and aging population drive consistent hiring, particularly in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin metropolitan areas.

Sources & Data

These references are used to build salary, training-path, and job-outlook estimates shown on this page.

Data last refreshed: April 2026