Medical Billing Salary

New Bern vs Raleigh: Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Salary (2026)

Compare medical billing and coding specialist salaries between New Bern, NC and Raleigh, NC. All figures are 2026 estimates projected from BLS 2025 data.

New Bern, NC
$27,563
$13.25/hr
Raleigh, NC
$32,248
$15.51/hr

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricNew Bern, NCRaleigh, NC
Median Salary$27,563$32,248
Hourly Rate$13.25$15.51
Entry Level (P10)$20,026$22,035
25th Percentile$23,196$26,759
75th Percentile$34,287$43,536
Top Earner (P90)$42,030$55,755
Total Employed7900
Side-by-side bar chart comparing New Bern ($27,563) and Raleigh ($32,248) medical billing and coding specialist salaries.New BernRaleighMedian Salary$27,563$32,248Entry Level (P10)$20,026$22,035Top Earner (P90)$42,030$55,755US Median $30,349

Verdict

Raleigh, NC offers better overall compensation for medical billing and coding specialists, winning 4 out of 4 metrics compared to New Bern.

The salary gap between New Bern and Raleigh is $4,685 (17.00%). Raleigh's median is +6.26% compared to the US national median of $30,349.

Salary Range Comparison

The full salary range (10th to 90th percentile) in New Bern spans $22,004,Raleigh spans $33,720. Raleigh has a wider pay range, suggesting more variation in pay between entry-level and experienced medical billing and coding specialists.

New Bern
P10 (Entry)$20,026
P25$23,196
Median$27,563
P75$34,287
P90 (Top)$42,030
Raleigh
P10 (Entry)$22,035
P25$26,759
Median$32,248
P75$43,536
P90 (Top)$55,755

Cost-of-Living Adjusted Comparison

After cost-of-living adjustment, Raleigh ($32,853 effective) pays 11.57% more than New Bern ($29,448 effective).

New Bern
Nominal: $27,563
CoL Index: 93.6
Adjusted: $29,448
Raleigh
Nominal: $32,248
CoL Index: 98.157
Adjusted: $32,853

Cost-of-living adjustment: salary × (100 / CoL index). Index of 100 = national average.

Which City Is Right for You?

Choose New Bern if…

  • You prefer the North Carolina area and lifestyle

Choose Raleigh if…

  • Higher median salary ($32,248/year)
  • Better top-earner potential ($55,755)
  • Larger job market (900 employed)
  • Better purchasing power (CoL-adjusted: $32,853)
  • You prefer the North Carolina area and lifestyle

Historical Salary Growth Comparison

Based on BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, medical billing and coding specialist salaries in New Bern grew -26.7% from 2021 to 2025, compared to -20.8% growth in Raleigh over the same period.

New Bern, NC

+-26.7%

$36,760 (2021) → $26,938 (2025)

Raleigh, NC

+-20.8%

$39,790 (2021) → $31,517 (2025)

View Full Salary Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city pays medical billing and coding specialists more: New Bern or Raleigh?

Raleigh has a higher median medical billing and coding specialist salary at $32,248/year, compared to New Bern at $27,563/year — a difference of $4,685 (17.00%).

What is the hourly rate difference between New Bern and Raleigh?

New Bern medical billing and coding specialists earn $13.25/hr while Raleigh hygienists earn $15.51/hr (2026 est.).

Should I relocate from New Bern to Raleigh as a medical billing and coding specialist?

Consider more than just salary when comparing New Bern and Raleigh. Factor in cost of living (CoL-adjusted: New Bern = $29,448, Raleigh = $32,853), job availability (7 vs 900 employed), commute, and career growth potential.

What do entry-level medical billing and coding specialists earn in New Bern vs Raleigh?

Entry-level (10th percentile) medical billing and coding specialists earn $20,026 in New Bern and $22,035 in Raleigh. The Raleigh area offers higher starting salaries.

Related Comparisons

AP

Written by Amina Patel, CPC

Career Analyst

Amina has 10 years of experience in medical billing. She specializes in outpatient coding for multi-specialty practices.

Clinically reviewed by Liam Johnson, RHITData verified by Sofia Nguyen, CCS

Methodology & Data Source

All salary figures are 2026 projections based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. A 2.32% CAGR (derived from 6-year national BLS trends) was applied to estimate current compensation. Cost-of-living adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parity data. Actual salaries vary by employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS , released .

Compiled and verified by Amina Patel, CPC, a licensed medical billing and coding specialist with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov