Medical Records Specialists Salary
The median pay for a medical records specialists in Iowa City, IA is $66,340/year ($31.9/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $72,495 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $962/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $66K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa City
Iowa City sits well above the national pay line for medical records specialists, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $962/month, 22.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa City offers a genuinely strong financial position for medical records specialistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for medical records specialists in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $54K | $59K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $46K | $51K |
| Cedar Rapids | $50K | $56K |
| Sioux City | $46K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level medical records specialists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $33K 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 Iowa City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical records specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 22.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical records specialists in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical records specialists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,822/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Iowa City?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $66K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for medical records specialists?
Iowa City pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical records specialists make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $66,340 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,040, and experienced medical records specialists can clear $80,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,308/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 22.3% 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 Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (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 $72,495 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.