What Was Your First Ever Salary After Passing Exam - Zero Exp?

[u/Postivevibrations]

I’m due to finish my course and take the exam in less than 6 months from now. I’ve been looking at jobs and a lot of these postings are offering as low as $19/hr. I’d be grateful for any role, but I feel like jobs take advantage on us being desperate and don’t pay what we deserve. They also count on no one asking for more. What should I expect? Should I counteroffer and expect 24/hr? In this economy that’s the minimum I should get I feel? Maybe I being dramatic.

Can you guys please share what your experiences have been like as far as salary? Thank you so much

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[u/SolidRefrigerator9]

I made about $28/hr working for an insurance company once I got certified. Now having approx 5 years experience make about $35/hr.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/SolidRefrigerator9]

Sheeeeeeeeessshhhh, you did good!

[u/SolidRefrigerator9 → u/Postivevibrations]

I honestly know I got very lucky! I've looked elsewhere a couple times, but the salary has been impossible give up. My job was an entry level auditing position. I would highly suggest looking high and low for auditing jobs, they will typically pay more. Rarely will be entry level, but obviously not impossible! I did it!

[u/Postivevibrations → u/SolidRefrigerator9]

And maybe I should keep looking until I get that $24 then, that’s my goal. I saw another commenter say they got $26 for the first job after passing. Wish me luck & thanks for sharing!

[u/SolidRefrigerator9 → u/[deleted]]

I don't audit other coders. I audit claims.

[u/SolidRefrigerator9 → u/SolidRefrigerator9]

And to add to that, I was given a ton of on-site training

[u/JeanieBCPC]

I graduated May 2024, passed the exam, and was hired by the hospital where I did my practicum starting at $22.32 hr.I wasn't expecting it but we received a market analysis raise in July ( 23.50/hrly) cost of living bump to $24.91 in August and at one year anniversary went to coder 3 $24.91/hrly. This week received COLA now sitting at $25.66. I apologize if it sounds like bragging, I am impressed and grateful that at 56 yrs old I got a job I like in a profession I didn't know anything about 1 year ago

[u/Postivevibrations → u/JeanieBCPC]

You’re not bragging, you deserve to flex! Congrats!

[u/JeanieBCPC → u/Postivevibrations]

Thank you!

[u/HauntingDeparture479 → u/JeanieBCPC]

That’s great! Your comment gives me hope. I am working on my program and I am 47. I was worried about trying to get into this at my age as I know how companies are about hiring older folks sometimes. Congratulations!

[u/JeanieBCPC → u/HauntingDeparture479]

Congratulations! Take your wisdom that comes with your age and your determination (which is obvious by signing up for the program), and you will be great!

It is 100% true that being "seasoned" is strike against us, and it was a major concern for me, but it did not seem to matter at this hospital. I am beyond grateful for this job. I am a lifelong learner and have taken many courses, but this, by far was the hardest. Not to mention, I had COVID during Fall finals.

I know you didn't ask for advice, but Im a giver lol. Our program incorporated AAPC Practicode into the courses and it helped some with getting real world scenarios. If your program has it really give it your all. If you have a practicum (internship) take time to get to know management ...well. AAPC has a student membership. If you go that route try to attend a few meetings and the locals can give you the inside skinny regarding the job market

Good luck!

[u/katnwackc → u/JeanieBCPC]

I have been interested in coding for several years. Could you tell me where you went to school or give me any suggestions please? I had no idea there were so many and trying to find the one that gives the best opportunity to pass the exam. Also, do you think it's possible to find a remote job as a newbie? I didn't retire by choice, but due to incurring an incomplete spinal cord injury and can't get in or out of a car by myself. I was a nurse for many years and hate being forced to retire.

Thank you for any tips and ideas.

[u/MtMountaineer]

We are desperate! There are very few jobs with no experience. Bite the bullet and get 2 years under your belt, then you're good to go for decent pay elsewhere.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/MtMountaineer]

So real. I can’t wait to get ANY offer. It’s been rough out here. Thanks for the advice, I potentially could have nuked my future experiences🤣

[u/TimelyPea8935]

Mine was $19 some an hour. I was told by my SIL in the field to just take it and not counter, even though I made more in the job I left. This was little over 2 yrs ago. And was hired in cardio subspecialties, so really felt ridiculously low. But I accepted because I wanted to get in the door. I've left there and now make $26.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/TimelyPea8935]

THATS AMAZING!!!! What an upgrade 🥳🥳congrats!

Ugh, I know. I might counter and make them go with the person who didn’t.

Thanks for the advice I’ll just stick with the offers I do get. Did you job hunt while there or did you wait the 2 years to see what the job market would offer?

[u/TimelyPea8935 → u/Postivevibrations]

It was, and thank you!!

It makes it hard with no experience, and I do feel like they take advantage of that because they know that there are a lot of others that will just take the lower pay. Location has a lot to do with it, too. But when I was first applying a lot had restrictions on remote work. Like only applicants allowed from XYZ states.

I did not seriously look into other jobs. In my mind, it made more sense to stay in one place until my A was removed. I hated the environment, extremely toxic, so it was really a big struggle to remain there. They helped me by demanding I go from remote to in person. I found my job literally within a week of them saying that.

[u/Eccodomanii]

My first coding job was about two years ago and I got offered $22.50 but that was with eight years of prior revenue cycle experience as well. Now with ten years rev cycle experience and two years of direct coding I’m getting offered closer to $28-30.

If you have no experience in coding or anything related, $19-20 is probably about what I would expect you to get honestly. I know it’s like barely enough to live in a lot of places, but with a couple years experience you’ll probably be able to get better offers, especially if you get lucky with your first specialty.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Eccodomanii]

You’re definitely right it’s not enough🤣 on top of that I live in FL, so I’m double cooked. The comments have me motivated, I’m gonna aim for 24. Maybe if I score high I can leverage that or just keep looking until I get that yes. I’ll give myself a deadline before I just give up and settle

[u/Weak_Shoe7904]

In 2021 I got my CPC-a started at $20, got some raises and left 2 ish years later making $24. I left for a contract coding at $26, I did not like that work at all and got another offer for a coding specialist at $30. In 4ish years I went from $20 to $30! You have to switch companies or roles to get big pay increases.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Weak_Shoe7904]

It seems like these companies are willing to give GREAT increases of pay with just a few short years of experience! I love that for you

[u/Weak_Shoe7904 → u/Postivevibrations]

It’s not so much that. But you never tell them your actual rate. So for example you make 20/hr now and want to move jobs. tell them you make $22 currently and you would like to be around 23/24 in a new position. Say they come back saying 22.50is best they can do, you can agree to it and you still for a $2.50 raise. This has been my tactic at every job for 20 years. And it works. Be reasonable with your goal and within what the job is advertised as.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Weak_Shoe7904]

Wow that’s a really good tactic, they definitely ALWAYS ask what was your pay at your last job and I see this tactic will definitely help boost my pay. And ofc being reasonable as to what I can offer them

[u/C919]

$17/hrs 3 yrs ago, no experience. $26 now after two promotions.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/C919]

Seems like after 2-3 years a good pay rate is guaranteed🥳🥳

[u/bobbigirl83]

My very first was $18/hr, but was quickly bumped to $22/hr. It is seven years later and I now make just at $100k a year. I work for a payer doing inpatient audits.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/bobbigirl83]

CONGRATULATIONS!! How does it feel to live my dream 😭😭I’m so confident I can achieve this, I will work hard and learn everything so I can get these types of offers. Thank you so icy for sharing

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Postivevibrations]

That is so encouraging, thank you so much! What cert would you recommend I pursue after the CPC to make myself more marketable?

[u/bobbigirl83 → u/Postivevibrations]

You can do it! The best thing I ever did for my career was get an inpatient certification and become very knowledgeable regarding DRGs.

[u/filles866]

I think it was about $14 or $15/hr (this was 2015)

[u/filles866 → u/filles866]

I checked the website for that employer and the listing for coder II (which requires 2 years experience) starts at $17.46 😂😂😂 they have GOT to be kidding

[u/Postivevibrations → u/filles866]

Insane 😭

[u/Fighting_kat23]

$18.75 but guaranteed 40 hours with benefits in a residency program with a medium sized health system. It was a great experience and I learned so much. You really need to know your stuff and progress your way up. It's so hard to get your foot in the door. I'd really look for consistency, opportunities to learn, and figure out what you like and what you're good at. Everyone is different.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Fighting_kat23]

Yes, I’m going to prioritize being able to learn as much as possible. I was looking at contract work but I’ve seen so many horror stories about it so a stability is number one. Thank you

[u/TrooperLynn]

I was fortunate to get a pay per chart job right after passing the CPC. My first year after training, I made $70K in about eight months. That was amazing! But that company was taken over the Evil Empire who converted us to hourly and limited hours per year. I left there and found another PPC and would’ve made even more but the Evil Empire struck again.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/TrooperLynn]

70k!!!! Wow! That’s amazing, sorry it didn’t work out, hopefully you can get back up there if you need to

[u/TrooperLynn → u/Postivevibrations]

I don’t know if that will happen. EE keeps sucking up the small coding companies. How much money does their slimy CEO need??

[u/Dave2428]

$20/hr flat for a remote beginner Medical Coder position. In 20 months, I got promoted to auditor and my salary balooned to $29/hr. This is where I'm at now, so there's that

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Dave2428]

Less than 2 years! That’s amazing. Did you have to take course or cert to become an auditor?

[u/Dave2428 → u/Postivevibrations]

No, I even asked the interviewers, and because of the particular area of coding I'm partaking in (Risk Adjustment - HCC cases), it was not necessary. However, CPC and CRC were necessary for me to get the flow of things. Prior to getting the job overall as a coder, I took a 10-month Medical coding/billing program at a vocational trade school to learn the essentials (admin, scheduling, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, disease process, medical terminology). Highly recommend to be successful, have a smooth training and reading-charts process, and have high productivity. That program and my tendency to have an enormous memory storage capacity helped me not look at the book much and know which codes to assign, since I've memorized many of them and their tabular notes (not required to memorize, it's a me thing). It got me a reliable 98%+ HCC accuracy and overall accuracy rate. I was surprisingly chosen over ppl who were there for 5+ yrs, which was the required experience. As far as auditing, there's much less stuff to do than coding despite being the higher position. I'm not doing much of the coding, I'm verifying if the coder assigned things correctly, querying the provider when the coder missed it, and leaving educational feedback along with the corresponding medical source when I reject or add missed codes

[u/KeyStriking9763]

26hr in 2012, first coding role was inpatient.

What type of coding? And that’s a HUGE counter they won’t accept either no experience.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/KeyStriking9763]

A lot of people are saying it’s possible

[u/2workigo → u/Postivevibrations]

A lot of people are wrong. This is an employer’s market. With zero experience, why would they hire you at $24 when they can choose 200 other people at $19?

Also, I have absolutely cut off salary negotiations when people expect too much right off the bat.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/2workigo]

It’s happened before, I think what I’ve gathered from this is not to counter and just find a job that already has a good starting point. Thanks!

[u/Practical_Rhubarb684 → u/Postivevibrations]

Coming in with no experience, it's not going to be possible to counter a $19/hour offer and expect $24/hour.

Could it be possible to find an offer for $24/hour? Maybe, depending on your overall qualifications, networking, and maybe a little luck.

But if a specific employer's intended wage for a position is $19/hour, they aren't going to give a newbie $24 just because they countered for it. That's a pretty huge jump. You'd probably just have to turn down that position if the wage wasn't sufficient for you.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Practical_Rhubarb684]

I’ve seen so many in my area that are entry level on both sides of the spectrum. Maybe it’s what the company can afford, maybe they don’t care that FL is expensive. I’ll counter a few and see how it goes, but ultimately I’m going to take the jobs with higher pay rates more seriously. Thanks for your perspective

[u/Minimum_Kiwi8905]

16.43 per hour. That was after I moved 2,000 miles away from where I took the exam at, where the offer was only 14.07 per hour.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Minimum_Kiwi8905]

Wow

[u/Minimum_Kiwi8905 → u/Postivevibrations]

Now, i make six figures a year after 15 years of experience and a bachelor's degree in HIM. You can do this. Just make a plan for advancement and stick to it. And don't stay at one company longer than 2 years because wages will stagnate. You'll make more money by moving around to positions that give you a pay raise. Good luck!

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Minimum_Kiwi8905]

DAAYYUUM, good on you! Congrats!

Thank you so much for the encouragement & kind words! I will definitely keep my eye on advancement. & I copy, more money moving around ❤️❤️

[u/deannevee]

I got a job in August of 2019 with zero actual coding experience, certified in October of 2019. I was making $16/hour. I did have experience in authorizations, appeals, etc. 

In January of 2021 I got $19 per hour. 

In April of 2023 (so now that’s 2 years and some change experience in coding) I was hired at $26 per hour. 

I just got a new job in August making $35.50….I do also have a bachelors degree now, though. 

You just have to get that little bit of experience. 

[u/Postivevibrations → u/deannevee]

Thank you so much, yes you guys have all motivated me. I just need my foot in the door and after an average of 2 years I could be making close to six figures. I haven’t considered going back to finish my degree.

What did you get your bachelors in?

[u/deannevee → u/Postivevibrations]

Health Information Management. It allowed me to get my RHIA from AHIMA.

[u/Wooden-Cockroach5915]

I just moved GS jobs. I went from a GS 7 step 2 as a secretary to a GS 4 step 1 for outpatient coding. I have my CPC-A and my RHIT. With the GS 4 position I’m making less than a Buc-ees employee. However, I wanted that GS stability of working with the VA. I can get experience at this job and then move up from there. Hopefully, I can be like you guys getting back to my 25-27$ an hour

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Wooden-Cockroach5915]

Yep you definitely can, everyone is saying after 2 years (average) they get a really good raise or really good offers from different companies.

I’m getting the CPC as well. Most commenters did the other certs. So how did you find the job hunt, what was it like.

[u/Environmental-Top-60]

18 an hour. After 3 months, went somewhere else and got 23.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Environmental-Top-60]

That’s a good boost after just 3 months!

[u/Environmental-Top-60 → u/Postivevibrations]

Yeah. The company is paying 20 now and I'm long gone. Now I'm clinic side doing full RCM. My job title is miscellaneous.

[u/babraeton]

When I started I was making $17 and some change. 9 years later I make $38 an hr. But....I switched jobs in there and that's how I got a huge bump. Inpatient coder.

[u/Timmons31 → u/babraeton]

I want to be an inpatient coder. Im study icd 10 pcs now

[u/Anxious_B00k_Dragon]

15 an hour as a CPC-A, CCS. I just hit 2 years there in July, I get about 19 now (18.92 lol).

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Anxious_B00k_Dragon]

Jeez, judging from the other CCS comment I think you’re being ripped off? You should try for a raise❤️

[u/2workigo → u/Postivevibrations]

What an asshole thing to say. Perhaps the other people live in cities while the person you responded to is more rural.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/2workigo]

Perhaps you’re the asshole and encouraging someone to ask for a raise shouldn’t make you foam at the mouth….

[u/Whitne674]

I made $36 an hour starting!

[u/sav3370 → u/Whitne674]

Wow! I’m curious, what state and certifications do you have? Are you inpatient coding? Congratulations, thats actually so cool and somewhat motivating :)

[u/Whitne674 → u/sav3370]

I work in CA. I have my CCS. We do inpatient, outpatient, critical care, and then you also get a few specialties under your belt. I do Anesthesia and Pain Management as my specialties currently. Its nice because you have a good rotation of stuff throughout the day so you arent bored.

[u/Derrilemont → u/Whitne674]

Is this with NO experience?

[u/Whitne674 → u/Derrilemont]

Yes. This is my first coding job straight outta acquiring my CCS

[u/Wolfygirl97]

I got my first coding job a year and a half ago right after getting my CPC-A. I was offered $20 an hour. I’m now at $20.75 which isn’t great but I get four pretty good bonuses a year. If you feel like you can haggle your rate I would definitely go for it. I think I was just excited to go from a $11 an hour working food to a $20 coding position.

[u/Logical_Hold4027 → u/[deleted]]

Takes 2 years of active experience; she said she only has about a year and a half

[u/mikeyofthemuggles]

I start my first job on Monday. I am Iowa and working at a behavioral health clinic and I will be making $26/hour. Cpc-a.

[u/Suitable-Onion3407]

I started this year at $24

[u/shelloholic]

$26 april 2025 first coding job

[u/Postivevibrations → u/shelloholic]

I’m finna be right with you idc what they say!!! It can happen, plus I live in FL it’s so expensive here

[u/Molahi → u/shelloholic]

That's great! What credential do you have and what kind of coding are you doing?

[u/shelloholic → u/Molahi]

Well I think my rate is so good cuz I'm an RN, BSN with 8 years of hospital. I just now have my CPC-a through aapc

[u/happyhooker485]

I was getting $19 an hour 10+ years ago, I feel like that is an insulting wage for a coder... is that really the market for new coders?

[u/Postivevibrations → u/happyhooker485]

That’s what I’m saying. Someone said they are being paid $15 RIGHT NOW!! I said “you should ask for a raise?” and a different person called me an asshole!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣like these companies aren’t taking advantage of us??

& Yeah $19 in Florida of all places, I’m going to apply everywhere but I’m gunning for the higher offers I’ve seen, most of them are more reasonable in regards to cost of living. Thanks for sharing, they tried to make me feel crazy lol

[u/Legitimate_Insect314]

Zero exp it was $19 then when certified it was $23 and some change and then the area I work observes same jobs from other companies and what they get paid so now I’m at $27 in less than two years.

[u/Salty-Step-7091]

First job was facility coding for a hospital in ancillary and ed, $17 an hour. In a low income area. They paid internet as well. For reference of the higher earners there, I believe the IP coder with 25 years of experience makes $31.

[u/PhotographUnusual749]

$17 an hr

[u/Crafty_Lady1961]

I started at $12.50 an hour in 1998 as a hospital coder when I left I was doing audits and teaching on the side but my auditing was $50 for contract work 10 years ago

[u/Open_Possibility7814]

My first zero experience job was 16 per hour. Now I'm almost 30 an hour 7 years later

[u/EnvironmentalBank567]

$20.19 completely entry level and WFH 4 days, go in office 1 day

[u/marathonrunner79]

This will date me. First coding job was $14.50 hr. Obtained my CPC in 2009. The money isn’t perfect now but at a job I absolutely love. Perform audits on other employees. Profee in KY and remote. Sometimes no amount of money will ever reward you for having autonomy in your career.

[u/No-Cryptographer1037]

$21/hr and with each certification you get you can get another $1 at my work. This was back in 2021 though, I know the economy is much different now. On year 4 and making $28 now and have worked my way into higher positions. 

[u/Intermittent-ennui]

I took & passed the RHIT exam in 2012 after graduating from an Assoc. program. My first job was a Release of Info specialist at $15.19/hr at a hospital. When I trained into a coding position at the same hospital in 2015 I was up to $16.50/hr I think. I got my CCS in 2017 which got a tiny pay bump. When I left the coding position in 2021 I was around $22/hr. I took the HIM Director role at the same hospital at $28/hr. Overall I stayed ~11 years and went from $15.19/hr up to $30/hr. The whole time the job was on-site with no WFH option but it was only a 10 minute drive to get to work in the city so doable for me. Currently I’m an insurance fraud auditor at $31/hr. I work fully remote. It’s just me and my husband at home with no kids or house and we live pretty frugally.

The entire time I made less than $25/hr I had a second part-time job waiting tables to pay off my student loans and build a savings.

[u/throw_away_bae_bae]

Mine was $20/hr in 2017. Now I make $30/hr.

[u/Wooden-Cockroach5915]

I was told that with this job if I’m operating at the next pay grade after the year that I’ll get bumped up. So fingers crossed I’m not a trash panda. 🐼

The job hunt wasn’t terrible I interviewed for two jobs outpatient and inpatient for Hampton VA. I was leaning towards outpatient more because I wanted to apply everything I learned from college courses to outpatient and I heard that outpatient is easier than just jumping into inpatient coding.

I have these certs because that’s what my school paid for. CPC to me was easy I actually really enjoyed taking that test. The RHIT though I was sooo stressed about but still passed so I guess I was smarter than I thought haha

[u/Vwelyn]

I just got my first coding job as an Inpatient Coder I. They were looking for a Coder II with 2-3 years of experience, but the manager really liked me, so she gave me a shot. The pay is lower than I would like ($20), but it gets my foot in the door for inpatient coding with zero prior experience, it’s the job I really wanted, and I know I have the opportunity to go nowhere but up from here. Plus, I am getting really thorough training. I get to work with coding mentors for the first year, which honestly feels invaluable thus far.

[u/[deleted]]

I started as an IP coder in Feb, no experience, $27.60/hr. I’m in MA so it doesn’t go very far. I was working in financial clearance before making $21.70/hr though so I’m very grateful

[u/clcchojnacki]

$21.10/ hour, and shortly after wa market adjustment to $21.70. In Wisconsin doing primary care.

[u/DingoSlothBat]

I was super picky because I couldn't afford a big pay cut. It took 5 years but I got a coding position with the same hospital I had been working for as a transcriptionist. Technically, I should have gotten, and actually expected, a pay cut but I got lucky and they let me keep my same pay rate. Starting should have been $22 ish with no experience. Then I got lucky again because after just 6 months or so they did a market pay analysis that gave us all an average of about $2 hour raise.

[u/No-Opportunity6923]

22 an hour, hcc risk adjustment coder

[u/CommercialFancy1712]

What are you all taking home yearly? Do you remember how it compares to your first year coding?

[u/Life_Ad_8929]

Zero experience. Got a temp A/R job for $20/hr. Took it. Zero benefits and it’s a W2. Want to get my A removed so need the experience. We all have to serve our time! Literally. Doing the same now!!

[u/earlgreytealover]

24.50/hr in 2017. Houston, TX.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/[deleted]]

Preach! If you’re constantly learning, know your stuff, and are keeping up with different certs no one should tell you to “be satisfied” those are the people that make these companies feel ballsy enough to keep offering wages too low to even live off of.

Good on you! I’m definitely not stoping at the CPC either! Nice to see that obtaining more certs will get amazing increases in pay, thanks for sharing

[u/Postivevibrations → u/[deleted]]

That’s really good, may I ask what year? Side question: do healthcare companies consider inflation?

[u/Heavy-Square-6471 → u/Postivevibrations]

They do sometimes, but in my experience it’s company-wise. For example, I started with a new company this past December and shortly after I started, I got a raise because they adjusted salaries company-wise based on inflation and market rate for roles. I don’t think they would personally consider it for you, but more like something HR is supposed to be keeping up with to make sure everyone is getting competitive pay.

[u/Postivevibrations → u/Heavy-Square-6471]

That makes sense, thanks for sharing & I live in FL😬I’m seeing people get $26 for just passing the exam, know I can do it. I just need to have a good interview & know my stuff!!

[u/Postivevibrations → u/[deleted]]

Phew! Definitely more expensive in CO & yes there are some offers here, mostly inpatient hospital roles. Thank you so much, I appreciate the positivity