Medical Records Specialists Salary
The median pay for a medical records specialists in Columbia, MO is $60,960/year ($29.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $68,157 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,160/month, or 29% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $61K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About medical records specialists
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What this looks like in Columbia
Columbia sits well above the national pay line for medical records specialists, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. Rent runs $1,160/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for medical records specialists in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $51K | $54K |
| Kansas City | $50K | $54K |
| Springfield | $48K | $54K |
| Joplin | $47K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level medical records specialists (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Records Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Medical Records Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $72K | +41% | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +25% | 650 |
| Hawaii | $63K | +24% | 400 |
| Washington | $62K | +22% | 5,010 |
| California | $62K | +21% | 18,700 |
| New York | $62K | +21% | 9,080 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +20% | 3,150 |
| Alaska | $61K | +19% | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +19% | 1,120 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +18% | 3,500 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +18% | 2,870 |
| Colorado | $59K | +15% | 1,780 |
| Oregon | $59K | +15% | 2,560 |
| Vermont | $58K | +13% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $57K | +12% | 1,400 |
| Illinois | $56K | +10% | 5,740 |
| Delaware | $56K | +10% | 610 |
| South Carolina | $54K | +6% | 2,750 |
| Maryland | $54K | +6% | 2,440 |
| Wyoming | $54K | +6% | 280 |
| Idaho | $53K | +5% | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $53K | +5% | 2,480 |
| Virginia | $53K | +4% | 4,630 |
| Utah | $53K | +3% | 1,910 |
| Maine | $52K | +2% | 1,000 |
| Nebraska | $52K | +1% | 1,640 |
| South Dakota | $52K | +1% | 900 |
| Georgia | $52K | +1% | 5,930 |
| Ohio | $51K | -0% | 7,440 |
| Missouri | $51K | -1% | 3,890 |
| Iowa | $51K | -1% | 2,250 |
| Nevada | $50K | -2% | 2,350 |
| New Jersey | $50K | -2% | 4,450 |
| Montana | $50K | -2% | 820 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -3% | 6,760 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -4% | 930 |
| Texas | $49K | -4% | 17,210 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -5% | 4,440 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -5% | 4,210 |
| Kansas | $48K | -6% | 2,030 |
| Michigan | $48K | -6% | 4,890 |
| Indiana | $48K | -7% | 5,860 |
| Arizona | $48K | -7% | 3,750 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -7% | 1,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $46K | -10% | 520 |
| Florida | $46K | -11% | 21,490 |
| Louisiana | $45K | -13% | 2,600 |
| Alabama | $44K | -14% | 2,330 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -18% | 1,920 |
| Mississippi | $42K | -19% | 2,310 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track medical records specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical records specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 28.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical records specialists in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical records specialists typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,635/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is medical records specialist a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $61K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for medical records specialists?
Columbia pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical records specialists make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $60,960 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,910, and experienced medical records specialists can clear $74,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,076/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 28.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a medical records specialists salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median medical records specialists salary is worth about $68,157 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do medical records specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.