Medical Billing and Coding Programs in Georgia

Georgia is the eighth-most-populous state in the country, with over 11 million residents, and its healthcare sector is one of the largest in the Southeast. The Atlanta metro area alone accounts for roughly half the state's population and serves as a regional healthcare hub, drawing patients from surrounding states. This concentration of healthcare activity creates strong and persistent demand for medical billing and coding professionals.

Major health systems include Emory Healthcare (the state's most comprehensive academic health system), Piedmont Healthcare (22 hospitals), WellStar Health System (11 hospitals), Grady Health System (Atlanta's public safety-net hospital), and Augusta University Health. The state also has a network of community health centers, military treatment facilities (Fort Eisenhower, formerly Fort Gordon), and a growing telemedicine sector.

Georgia doesn't require a state license for medical billing and coding. Employers uniformly expect national certification. For a complete overview of the field, see What Is Medical Billing and Coding?

Georgia offers three IPEDS-reported medical billing and coding programs at different price points. Southern Crescent Technical College in Griffin charges approximately $2,400 per year as part of Georgia's Technical College System, making it one of the most affordable programs in the Southeast. Mercer University in Macon is a private nonprofit at approximately $33,080 per year with a health informatics program. Miller-Motte College in Augusta is a private for-profit institution offering campus-based training.

National online programs are also accessible to Georgia residents, including Ultimate Medical Academy (the largest MBC program by completions), Penn Foster ($1,049-$1,869), Western Governors University ($7,710/year), and Purdue University Global ($10,080/year). For many students, Georgia's Technical College System programs offer the best combination of affordability and quality. See How to Become a Medical Biller and Coder for a step-by-step guide.

Georgia has no state licensing requirement for medical billing and coding. Certification is voluntary but strongly preferred by employers. The CPC ($425-$499) from AAPC is the most widely held credential in the country. The CCA ($199-$299) from AHIMA requires only a high school diploma. The CBCS (~$117) from NHA covers billing and coding fundamentals at the lowest cost.

AAPC data shows certified coders average $62,689 nationally, and three-plus-credential holders average $84,414. Georgia has active AAPC local chapters in Atlanta, Augusta, Macon, and Savannah that provide networking and continuing education resources. See our certification comparison for full details.

Medical billing and coding professionals in Georgia earn an average of $64,353 per year, or approximately $30.94 per hour (AAPC, 2024). That's roughly $14,100 above the national BLS median of $50,250. Georgia's moderate cost of living, particularly outside the Atlanta metro, means this salary provides solid purchasing power.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area accounts for the largest concentration of medical coding jobs and generally offers the highest pay. Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, and Macon also have healthcare employer clusters. The BLS projects 7% employment growth for medical records specialists from 2024 to 2034. Georgia's population growth, fueled partly by in-migration from other states, suggests healthcare job creation will remain strong. For detailed salary data, see our Salary Guide.

Georgia's healthcare job market is diverse and deep. Emory Healthcare is the state's leading academic health system and a major employer of medical coders. Piedmont Healthcare operates 22 hospitals across the state. WellStar Health System, Grady Health System, Augusta University Health, and Memorial Health (Savannah) are additional major employers. Atlanta is also home to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several large health IT companies, which can create niche positions for coders with technology or public health coding expertise.

Remote work significantly broadens your options. Approximately 65.7% of medical coders work from home full time (AAPC, 2024). National employers like Optum, Datavant, Aviacode, and The Coding Network hire remote coders from Georgia. The state's Eastern time zone and moderate cost of living make it an attractive base for remote coding careers. For more, see our remote jobs guide.