Medical Biller and Coder Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Medical billers and coders in Tucson turn hospital and clinic records into paid claims for TMC Health, Carondelet and the Tucson VA. No Arizona license is required, but local employers ask for an AAPC or AHIMA credential. Current openings are below, followed by who is hiring, pay and training.
Current Medical Coder Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Biller and Coder Work in Tucson
Coding work in Tucson follows the hospitals. TMC Health codes for its midtown hospital on Grant Road and its TMCOne physician clinics, Carondelet runs coding and clinical documentation teams for St. Joseph's on the east side and St. Mary's on the west side, and Northwest Healthcare's hospital health information departments serve Northwest Medical Center on La Cholla and Oro Valley Hospital. The Tucson VA Medical Center on South Sixth Avenue hires inpatient coders, and in 2026 posted those jobs as remote positions.
Behind the hospitals sit physician practices and local billing companies that handle claims for clinics across the metro, and much of that work means knowing the rules for Medicare and AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program. Hospital coders on the inpatient side need the deepest credentials; physician-office coding and billing is the more common way in.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Medical Billers and Coders
These Tucson employers have posted coding and health information jobs on their own careers sites:
- TMC Health - hires Professional Coder I staff for its TMCOne physician clinics, CPC or CPC-A required.
- Carondelet Health Network - posts coding coordinator and clinical documentation specialist jobs for St. Joseph's and St. Mary's hospitals.
- Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - the Tucson VA Medical Center hires Medical Records Technician (Coder Inpatient) staff, posted as remote GS-8 jobs in 2026.
- Northwest Healthcare - the Community Health Systems hospitals in Tucson and Oro Valley hire HIM technicians for records and coding work.
Medical Biller and Coder Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (billing, CPC-A): roughly $18 to $22 an hour.
- Experienced (certified coder, 2+ years): roughly $22 to $27 an hour.
- Senior (inpatient, CCS, auditor, coordinator): roughly $27 to $34 an hour.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the Tucson median for medical records specialists at $23.13 an hour in its May 2023 survey, and the VA posted its inpatient coder jobs at $55,882 to $72,644 a year in 2026. Credentials move pay most: a CCS or RHIT opens inpatient hospital work, and the A comes off a CPC-A once you log experience.
How to Become a Medical Biller and Coder in Tucson
Pima Community College's Medical Billing and Coding Certificate is fully online and takes about 8 months full time, or as little as 32 weeks with 8 and 16 week classes. Pima also offers a two-year Health Information Technology AAS online, the path toward the RHIT, and a noncredit PimaFastTrack Medical Billing and Coding course that runs up to 16 weeks. Arizona has no license for billers or coders. Employers set the bar: TMC asks for the AAPC's CPC or CPC-A, Carondelet's coding coordinator posting asks for AHIMA's CCS, RHIA or RHIT, and VA coder jobs require an AAPC or AHIMA certification.
What the Job Involves
A coder reads physician notes, operative reports and discharge summaries and assigns ICD-10-CM, CPT and HCPCS codes, querying the provider when documentation is unclear. A biller builds and submits claims, works denials and rejections, posts payments and calls payers about unpaid balances. Both spend the day in the electronic health record and an encoder, measured on accuracy and productivity.
Skills Employers Look For
- ICD-10-CM, CPT and HCPCS coding
- Medical terminology and anatomy
- An AAPC or AHIMA credential (CPC, CCS, RHIT)
- Payer rules for Medicare and AHCCCS plans
- Denial management and claim follow-up
- Comfort working alone and hitting productivity targets
Career Path and Advancement
Most Tucson coders start in physician billing or as a CPC-A on a clinic coding team, move to certified professional coder, then into inpatient coding, auditing or clinical documentation improvement at a hospital. From there the track leads to coding coordinator and health information or revenue cycle management at TMC, Carondelet or Northwest, and RHIT holders can move toward RHIA with a bachelor's degree.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for medical billers and coders:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a medical coder in Tucson?
No. Arizona does not license medical billers or coders. Employers require certification instead: TMC asks for a CPC or CPC-A, Carondelet asks for a CCS, RHIA or RHIT for coding coordinator work, and the VA requires an AAPC or AHIMA credential.
How long does medical billing and coding training take in Tucson?
Pima Community College's online Medical Billing and Coding Certificate takes about 8 months full time, or as little as 32 weeks. The Health Information Technology AAS takes two years, and the noncredit PimaFastTrack course runs up to 16 weeks.
How much do medical coders make in Tucson?
Expect roughly $18 to $22 an hour to start, $22 to $27 as an experienced certified coder and $27 to $34 in inpatient, auditing or coordinator roles. These are estimates that vary by employer and credential.
Can you work remotely as a medical coder in Tucson?
Some jobs, yes. The Tucson VA posted its inpatient coder jobs as remote in 2026, while TMC's TMCOne coder posting is a Tucson day-shift job. Newer coders usually start on site and earn remote work with experience.
Which Tucson employers hire the most medical coders?
The hospital systems: TMC Health, Carondelet and Northwest Healthcare, plus the Tucson VA Medical Center. Physician practices and local billing companies add billing and outpatient coding jobs.
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