The latest occupational employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that more than 180,000 medical records specialists were employed in the United States as of May 2021. With nearly 52,200 medical records specialists employed at that time, the twelve-state Southeast region accounted for almost 29% of medical records specialist employment in the United States.  BLS data revealed the region to be the worst one nationally for medical records specialist pay.  Only one Southeastern state registered an annual mean wage level that was above the national average for the profession, and six states in the Southeast ranked among the ten states with the lowest annual mean wage levels for medical records specialists. From May 2021 BLS data, here is a closer view of medical records specialist pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Medical Records Specialist Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	2,510	$40,020	49th
AR	1,770	$39,190	50th
FL	15,370	$44,930	31st
GA	5,480	$44,720	32nd
KY	4,260	$43,390	44th
LA	2,150	$43,020	45th
MS	2,060	$37,990	51st
NC	5,000	$43,950	38th
SC	2,510	$46,070	26th
TN	4,780	$44,440	35th
VA	4830	$50,980	15th
WV	1,450	$41,250	47th
U.S.	180,570	$48,310	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data accessed on May 28, 2022