Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs of 2023
The demand for medical coders and billers is rising, thanks to changing healthcare and insurance regulations, new technology, and increased demand in services. Completing a medical coding training program is the key to entering this rapidly-growing field.
Why This Matters
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THE U.S. NEEDS 12,300 MORE OF YOU BY 2031
The job outlook for medical coders and billers is bright, with 7% projected job growth in the next decade. Job prospects are best for those with training and professional certifications.
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CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF DISTINCT HEALTHCARE SETTINGS
Medical coders and billers have the opportunity to work in many different settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, mental health facilities, and more.
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CAN BE THE FIRST STEP IN A MANAGEMENT CAREER
With additional experience and education, individuals working in medical billing can go on to other lucrative administrative jobs, such as medical and health services managers.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online medical coding degree programs at top colleges across the country. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. Many of the programs on our list have programmatic accreditation through bodies like the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Health Information Management (CAHIIM) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
We evaluated each school’s program on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for online students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online medical coding degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
The Top 72 Online Medical Coding Degree Programs
What You Should Know About This Degree
Besides education, the most important step in becoming a medical biller and coder is getting certified through an agency like the American Health Information Management Agency (AHIMA) or the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). They offer nationally-recognized certifications that confirm to employers that you have the necessary training in medical coding and billing. You must pay a fee and pass an examination to earn certification. Many programs will cover the fee for one attempt at a certification exam.
The field of medical billing and coding is ever-evolving, as regulations and procedures are updated on a continuous basis. Select a program that regularly updates its curriculum to reflect changes in the industry, so that you are learning the skills you need to obtain certification.
The minimum level of education needed for a medical biller and coder is a post-secondary certificate, but some students choose to obtain an associate’s degree, as it is good preparation if you intend to pursue a bachelor’s in a related field.
Many medical billing and coding programs are offered online. However, they may have experiential learning components, like job shadowing or practicums. Review the program’s curriculum to find out if there are any in-person requirements so that you can determine if they will fit into your schedule.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching Medical Coding programs:
- Can certificate credits be applied to future degree programs? Some schools offer both certificate and associate’s degree programs in medical coding and billing, and they allow students to apply credits from the certificate program to the degree. If you are interested in obtaining a degree in the future, selecting a school that will allow this can help you save time and money.
- Is the program eligible for financial aid? In most cases, only students enrolled in degree-granting programs, not certificates, are eligible for federal financial aid. If receiving federal financial aid is a consideration for you, talk to the school’s financial aid office to find out what your eligibility is so that you can choose a program that’s right for you.
Research the program’s admission requirements and deadlines as well, and prepare application materials well ahead of their due date. This will help your admissions process go as smoothly as possible. You can find admissions information on the program’s website or by contacting the school’s admissions office directly.