Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Salary in St. Cloud, MN: $35,898 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time medical billing and coding specialist in St. Cloud, MN earns a median $35,898/year (≈ $17.26/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-2072). Once you factor in St. Cloud's price level (12% below national, BEA RPP 87.6), that paycheck buys what $40,964 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 107.0% above the Minnesota state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In St. Cloud, Minnesota, becoming a medical billing and coding specialist in 2026 is financially rewarding, with a median annual salary projected at $35,898. Compared to the national median of $30,349, this represents an impressive increase of 18.28%, highlighting the region's competitive compensation for this profession. The salary typically ranges from $27,566 at the lower end (P10) to a healthy $58,301 at the upper percentiles (P90). These insights are derived from official BLS OEWS surveys and reflect current demand in St. Cloud's healthcare landscape, which is adapting to the growing acceptance of remote work and heightened attention toward coding accuracy and compliance.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $27,566 | $13.25 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $31,020 | $14.92 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $35,898 | $17.26 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $51,845 | $24.93 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $58,301 | $28.03 |
Median Salary Position
18.28% above the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in St. Cloud
In St. Cloud, MN, the medical billing and coding specialist salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $30,735 (2026 est.). At $35,898, the local median is 18.28% above the national median of $30,349.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in St. Cloud: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How St. Cloud Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Pay Compares
St. Cloud median: $35,898/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | St. Cloud Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Average | $17,342 | +107.00% more |
| National Average | $30,349 | +18.28% more |
Medical Billing and Coding Specialists in St. Cloud, MN earn a median of $35,898 per year (2026 est.), which is 18.28% higher than the national median of $30,349 and 107.00% above the Minnesota state average of $17,342.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
St. Cloud has a cost of living 12.37% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
St. Cloud, MN has a cost-of-living index of 87.632 (below the national average of 100). A medical billing and coding specialist earning $35,898 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $40,964 in an average-cost city — an effective 14.11% boost.
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2021 BLS Actual
$46,910
2025 BLS Actual
$35,084
2026 Current Est.
$35,898
2021–2027 Growth
+-21.7%
Salary Trajectory for Medical Billing and Coding Specialists in St. Cloud (2021–2027)
2021–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 2.32% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $46,910 | Actual |
| 2022 | $32,367 | Actual |
| 2023 | $53,200 | Actual |
| 2024 | $51,090 | Actual |
| 2025 | $35,084 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $35,898 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $36,731 | Projected |
Based on 5 years of BLS OEWS data for the St. Cloud metropolitan area, the median medical billing and coding specialist salary grew -25.2% from $46,910 (2021) to $35,084 (2025). At a 2.32% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $36,731 by 2027 — a total increase of $-10,179 (-21.70%) from 2021.
Note: Historical values (2021–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the St. Cloud metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 2.32% CAGR derived from 5-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $27,566 – $31,020 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $31,020 – $35,898 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $35,898 – $51,845 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $51,845 – $58,301 |
MBS salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual medical billing and coding specialist compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Job Market in St. Cloud
Examining the local job market, there are currently 80 medical billing and coding specialists employed in St. Cloud, a figure that reflects the area's demand for skilled professionals in this field. The cost-of-living index of 87.632 is favorable compared to the national average, meaning that the take-home purchasing power for coders in St. Cloud is relatively strong. Among local employers, physician group practices and hospital inpatient coding departments tend to offer the highest salaries, while remote positions with third-party coding companies also provide competitive compensation. The broad salary spread is influenced by factors such as coding specialty, credential stacking, and productivity-based bonuses. For instance, specialists in inpatient CCS coding or those with multiple credentials may command higher pay. To maximize earnings, professionals should focus on obtaining relevant certifications from AAPC or AHIMA, staying updated with ICD-10-CM and CPT changes, and exploring roles that demand risk adjustment expertise, a rapidly growing area in healthcare coding.
More salary data for St. Cloud, MN:
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $35,084 for medical billing and coding specialistsin the St. Cloud metropolitan area. A 2.32% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 4-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.32%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for medical billing and coding specialists (SOC 29-2072).
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