Medical Records Specialists Salary
The median pay for a medical records specialists in Texas is $48,860/year ($23.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $53,405 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Texas?
About medical records specialists
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What this looks like in Texas
Medical records specialists pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 41.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level medical records specialists (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Records Specialists salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $53K | +8% | 80 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $52K | +7% | 5,210 |
| Victoria | $51K | +5% | 60 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $51K | +5% | 3,680 |
| Odessa | $50K | +3% | 50 |
| Killeen-Temple | $49K | +1% | 220 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $49K | +0% | 1,320 |
| Abilene | $48K | -1% | 80 |
| El Paso | $48K | -2% | 560 |
| Amarillo | $47K | -3% | 170 |
| San Angelo | $47K | -4% | 120 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $46K | -6% | 1,670 |
| Wichita Falls | $45K | -8% | 110 |
| Longview | $45K | -9% | 110 |
| Tyler | $45K | -9% | 170 |
| College Station-Bryan | $44K | -9% | 120 |
| Lubbock | $44K | -10% | 200 |
| Sherman-Denison | $43K | -12% | 50 |
| Waco | $43K | -12% | 110 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $41K | -16% | 130 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $39K | -20% | 410 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $39K | -21% | 190 |
| Laredo | $38K | -21% | 60 |
| Corpus Christi | $38K | -22% | 190 |
| Texarkana | $35K | -28% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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Track medical records specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical records specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 41.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical records specialists typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,066/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for medical records specialists?
Texas pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical records specialists make in Texas?
The median is $48,860 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,440, and experienced medical records specialists can clear $78,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,442/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 41.1% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $53,405 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.