Medical Records Specialists Salary
The median pay for a medical records specialists in Virginia is $53,290/year ($25.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $56,219 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 47% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in Virginia?
About medical records specialists
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What this looks like in Virginia
Medical records specialists pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 46.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level medical records specialists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Records Specialists salary by metro in Virginia
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $63K | +17% | 220 |
| Richmond | $51K | -4% | 740 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $51K | -5% | 970 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $48K | -9% | 40 |
| Lynchburg | $47K | -11% | 150 |
| Roanoke | $47K | -12% | 180 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $46K | -13% | 40 |
| Winchester | $40K | -26% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track medical records specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical records specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 46.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical records specialists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,258/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for medical records specialists?
Virginia pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical records specialists make in Virginia?
The median is $53,290 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,630, and experienced medical records specialists can clear $78,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,526/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 46.7% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $56,219 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.