How do I become a good billing specialist?

To become a good billing specialist, a person needs to develop attention to detail, communication, and organizational skills. All of these skills are needed to be a good billing specialist.

How do I become a medical billing specialist from home?

To become a medical billing specialist from home, a person needs to first gain the needed experience and knowledge for medical billing. Once they have this knowledge and experience, they can either apply for remote medical billing specialist positions or start their own business as an independent contractor.

How long does it take to become a medical billing specialist?

It takes about 40 to 80 hours of coursework to become a medical billing specialist. Most medical billing programs include about 40 to 80 hours of coursework, and people typically finish that within about three to six weeks.

How much does a billing person make?

A person who manages the billing for a company makes around $45,000 in a year. The salaries range from a low of $30,000 to a high of $55,000 in a year, but the average hourly wage is typically around $15 to $20 an hour.

What degree does a billing specialist need?

Most billing specialist positions do not have a degree requirement but instead require a medical billing program. This includes about 40 to 80 hours of coursework, which people typically finish in about three to six weeks.

What does a certified billing specialist do?

A certified billing specialist is an administrator who manages billing processes, most often for an insurance office or medical facility. A billing specialist's duties include managing medical billing for patients, updating patient information, generating invoices, and processing payments.

How To Become A Billing Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a billing specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A billing specialist works in the finance industry to manage billing processes, including invoicing, collections, and payments. Billing specialists work with clients to ensure the accurate and on-time payment of invoices. They also communicate with insurance companies, government agencies, and stakeholders to resolve disputes and ensure compliance. Billing specialists have organizational skills, attention to detail, and knowledge of accounting software. They may work for healthcare providers, law firms, or organizations that require accurate and efficient billing.

ScoreBilling SpecialistUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $35,624

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.2

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87%

Asian 7.45%

Black or African American 10.86%

Hispanic or Latino 19.20%

Unknown 4.37%

White 57.25%

Gender

female 87.27%

male 12.73%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress Level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.6

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.6

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Billing Specialist?

Pros

High demand for billing specialists
Opportunity for advancement within the field
Good pay and benefits
Work can often be done remotely
Opportunities for specialization (e.g. medical billing)

Cons

Can be repetitive and monotonous work
Pressure to meet tight deadlines and quotas
May require long hours during peak periods
Risk of burnout due to high workload and stress levels
Heavy reliance on technology, which can be frustrating if systems malfunction

Key steps to become a billing specialist

Explore billing specialist education requirements

Most common billing specialist degrees

Bachelor's

30.7 %

Associate

29.5 %

High School Diploma

18.4 %

Start to develop specific billing specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	16.31%
Customer Service	10.09%
Data Entry	9.46%
Medical Billing	6.69%
Medicaid	5.51%

Complete relevant billing specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New billing specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a billing specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real billing specialist resumes.

Gain additional billing specialist certifications

Billing specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific billing specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for billing specialists include Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) and Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM).

More About Certifications

Research billing specialist duties and responsibilities

Use of QuickBooks to manage vendors' accounts, set up filing system to maintain files and supporting billing documents.
Manage the daily correspondence with keeping doctor/patient confidentiality under consideration along with HIPPA regulations.
Use independent judgment, manage and impart confidential information appropriately per HIPAA regulations and company requirements.
Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.

Prepare your billing specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your billing specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a billing specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Billing Specialist Resume templates

Build a professional Billing Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Billing Specialist resume.

Apply for billing specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a billing specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do billing specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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Billing Specialist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Pros

Keeping up with different medical coding

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Cons

Inefficient flow of information from top to bottom.