Medical Billing and Coding Careers in Texas
See if you qualify for Medical Billing and Coding programs
Answer a few questions in 2 minutes. Free, no commitment.
Medical billing and coding is one of the more accessible entry points into healthcare administration, and Texas has the hospital and clinic networks to keep hiring for it. The Texas Workforce Commission projects employment of medical records specialists, the federal job category that covers billers and coders, to grow from 19,526 in 2022 to 23,453 in 2032, with about 1,812 openings a year. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics put the median wage at $51,140 in May 2025. Texas does not license billers or coders, so the certification you earn does the work a license does elsewhere: it shapes your starting pay and your access to hospital jobs.
Medical Billing & Coding Specialist - CCI Training Center (Online)
- Format: Online
- Length: 26 weeks
- Tuition: $11,985
- Built around the AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam, covering CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II coding alongside electronic health records, insurance, and medical law
Associate of Applied Science Degree in Medical Billing and Coding - Asher College, Dallas
- Format: In-person
- Offered alongside a shorter certificate option at the same campus
Medical Billing & Coding - TSC Career Institute, Mesquite
- Format: In-person
- Length: 12 weeks
- Tuition: $1,200
Medical Billing and Coding Certification Online in Texas
Three credentials cover most Texas postings, and two of them can be earned without leaving home.
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC) from AAPC: 100 multiple-choice questions in four hours, taken online with a live remote proctor or at a testing center, with a 70% passing score and a price of $399 for one attempt or $499 for two.
- Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) from the National Healthcareer Association: 100 scored questions plus 25 pretest items in three hours, offered at PSI test centers and as a live remote online proctored exam, with eligibility through a training program or work experience. It is also one of the certifications the Texas Education Agency recognizes for its medical coding and billing specialist pathway.
- Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) from AHIMA: 107 questions in four hours, $299 for members and $399 for non-members, scheduled at a Pearson VUE testing center rather than online, and aimed at coders who already have experience or a CCA.
So the honest answer to "fully online" is that the CPC and CBCS can be, from the course through the exam, while the CCS still requires a trip to a testing center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a certification to work in medical billing and coding in Texas?
Texas has no state license for medical billers or coders, so certification is voluntary under state law and close to required by employers. BLS reports that employers may prefer candidates who already hold certification or expect new hires to earn it shortly after starting, and hospital postings such as University Medical Center of El Paso's certified medical coder roles put the credential in the job title.
How long does it take to become a certified medical biller or coder in Texas?
Plan on six months to a year. Certificate programs run from 12 to 36 weeks at the Texas career schools listed above and up to a year at a community college, and the CPC and CBCS exams can be scheduled online as soon as you finish, with no state board to wait on. A degree path adds time but opens the CCS and health information roles.
What's the average salary difference between certified and non-certified billers in Texas?
BLS does not publish wages by certification status, but its setting data shows where the credential pays. Hospital medical records specialists earned a median of $59,120 in May 2025 against $47,120 in physician offices, and hospitals are where a CPC, CBCS, or CCS most often appears in the job title.
Which Texas cities have the most medical billing and coding job openings?
The state's four largest metros, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin, because that is where the hospital systems are. Houston's Texas Medical Center employs more than 120,000 people, Dallas-Fort Worth is home to Texas Health Resources' coding team in Arlington, and the October 2026 Indeed listings ran from Lubbock and El Paso to McAllen, so smaller metros carry openings too.
Who makes more money, a medical biller or coder?
BLS groups both under one occupation, so there is no official split, but the setting data points one way. Coding roles cluster in hospitals, closer to the $59,120 hospital median, while billing roles cluster in physician offices and billing companies, closer to the $47,120 office median. Certification and specialty move pay more than the job title does.
Starting Your Billing and Coding Career in Texas
Certification from an approved program is the single biggest lever on both salary and job access in this field, and in Texas it carries extra weight because no license sits above it. The CPC and CBCS can both be earned from home within a year.
Houston's healthcare density makes it one of the stronger Texas markets to start a search, but the same credential travels to Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and the remote roles that still require a Texas address. Compare medical billing and coding programs in Texas on Dreambound by format and length, and check that any career school you consider holds a TWC Certificate of Approval before you sign anything.
