Medical Records Specialists Salary
The median pay for a medical records specialists in Tennessee is $48,780/year ($23.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $54,333 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 34.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Tennessee?
About medical records specialists
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Medical records specialists pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level medical records specialists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Records Specialists salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $57K | +17% | 90 |
| Memphis | $53K | +9% | 660 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $51K | +5% | 1,640 |
| Chattanooga | $49K | +0% | 350 |
| Knoxville | $48K | -2% | 760 |
| Johnson City | $47K | -3% | 100 |
| Clarksville | $47K | -4% | 120 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $46K | -6% | 120 |
| Cleveland | $46K | -6% | 30 |
| Morristown | $41K | -17% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track medical records specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical records specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical records specialists in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical records specialists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,239/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for medical records specialists?
Tennessee pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical records specialists make in Tennessee?
The median is $48,780 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,320, and experienced medical records specialists can clear $79,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,436/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 35.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a medical records specialists salary go in Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $54,333 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.