Health systems was the top-paying industry for medical coders in 2016, reporting average annual salaries of $48,789, according to the AAPC. This industry designation includes coders who don't work directly for hospitals or doctors' offices, such as those working for coding or billing companies. Inpatient coders, the highest-paid coders in hospital environments, also averaged more than $48,000 per year. Large-group-practice coders had the highest average earnings for doctors' offices, an annual income exceeding $46,000.
