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Medical coder salary in South Carolina

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$54,280median pay per year in South Carolina, or $26.10 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,240lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,18025th percentile
  3. $54,280median
  4. $62,65075th percentile
  5. $71,280top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $51,140[3]

The median pay for a medical coder in South Carolina was $54,280 a year, or $26.10 an hour[1]. That was higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in SC
2,750[4]
Rank by median pay
18 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+6.1%[6]

How much do medical coders make in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, the median wage for a medical coder was $54,280 a year[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $54,810 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $51,140[3], so South Carolina came out $3,140 (6.1%) higher[6]. South Carolina had the 18th highest median among the 50 states and DC[5].

For all jobs in South Carolina, the median was $46,490 a year[8]. The medical coder median was $7,790 higher than that[9]. At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,240[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $71,280[2].

By metro area, Columbia had the highest median, at $62,650[10]. Charleston-North Charleston came in at $61,950[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers, part-time and full-time. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

South Carolina vs US pay

Pay for medical coders in South Carolina next to the national figures[1][3].

SCUS
Median per year$54,280[1]$51,140[3]
Median per hour$26.10[1]$24.59[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$37,240[2]$37,000[13]
Top 10% earn more than$71,280[2]$81,150[13]
Jobs2,750[4]194,720[3]

Pay by metro area in South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina with the most jobs for medical coders, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC[11]$51,1101,450
Columbia, SC$62,650640
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$53,040530
Charleston-North Charleston, SC$61,950460
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC$53,830410
Spartanburg, SC$51,260180
Florence, SC$51,870140
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC$61,520100

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for medical coders in the states that border South Carolina, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$51,5505,930
North Carolina$49,6206,760

Median pay for medical coders in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for medical coders are projected to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a medical coder make in South Carolina?
The median was $54,280 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $54,810[7].
How much does a medical coder make an hour in South Carolina?
The median was $26.10 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $17.90 an hour and the 90th was $34.27[17].
Which city in South Carolina pays medical coders the most?
Columbia had the highest median among the metro areas with published figures, at $62,650 a year[10].
Is South Carolina a good state for medical coders?
South Carolina had the 18th highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 6.1% higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a medical coder in South Carolina?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award[16]. This is a US figure, not a state one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina was $54,280 per year and $26.10 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina: 10th percentile $37,240, 25th percentile $45,180, 75th percentile $62,650, 90th percentile $71,280. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Medical Records Specialists in the US as a whole was $51,140 per year and $24.59 per hour, with about 194,720 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,750 people worked as Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: South Carolina had the 18th highest median annual wage for Medical Records Specialists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina ($54,280) was $3,140 (6.1%) higher than the US median ($51,140). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina was $54,810 per year and $26.35 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in South Carolina was $46,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina was $7,790 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($46,490). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 9 metro areas in or partly in South Carolina with a published median for Medical Records Specialists, Columbia, SC had the highest median annual wage, $62,650. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Medical Records Specialists in the US: 10th percentile $37,000, 25th percentile $43,490, 75th percentile $64,820, 90th percentile $81,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Medical Records Specialists in states that border South Carolina (highest first): Georgia $51,550; North Carolina $49,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Medical Records Specialists is projected to grow 7.8% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Medical Records Specialists: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Medical Records Specialists in South Carolina: 10th percentile $17.90, 25th percentile $21.72, 75th percentile $30.12, 90th percentile $34.27. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only South Carolina. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.