Insights / Hardest metros by occupation / California
10 metros where Medical Records Specialists are hardest to fill
Staff San Jose first for records specialists, before anyone calls Baltimore a softer place to hire.
San Jose scores 8.3 for records specialists, and San Jose pay is about $86.9K, 70% above the national median.
San Jose records share is 0.65, a thin slice versus a typical San Jose metro.
Baltimore still scores 7.8 for records specialists, so Baltimore is a weak last stop, not relief.
Each metro
1San Jose, CA
- Score
- 8.3
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.65
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.810
- Metro median
- $86,890
- Pay ratio
- 1.70
2San Francisco, CA
- Score
- 8.2
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.63
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.793
- Metro median
- $74,400
- Pay ratio
- 1.45
3Milwaukee, WI
- Score
- 8.0
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.73
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.909
- Metro median
- $65,730
- Pay ratio
- 1.29
4Minneapolis, MN
- Score
- 8.0
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.75
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.943
- Metro median
- $61,830
- Pay ratio
- 1.21
5New York, NY
- Score
- 7.9
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.68
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.853
- Metro median
- $61,190
- Pay ratio
- 1.20
6Washington, DC
- Score
- 7.9
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.60
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.754
- Metro median
- $58,810
- Pay ratio
- 1.15
7Sacramento, CA
- Score
- 7.9
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.99
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.244
- Metro median
- $75,150
- Pay ratio
- 1.47
8Atlanta, GA
- Score
- 7.9
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.77
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.966
- Metro median
- $58,950
- Pay ratio
- 1.15
9Denver, CO
- Score
- 7.8
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.43
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.538
- Metro median
- $61,240
- Pay ratio
- 1.20
10Baltimore, MD
- Score
- 7.8
- Band
- Hard
- Location quotient
- 0.80
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.003
- Metro median
- $59,390
- Pay ratio
- 1.16
Ranked table
Swipe the table sideways. The same figures are in the blocks above.
| Rank | Metro | Score | Band | Location quotient | Jobs per 1,000 | Metro median | Pay ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | 8.3 | Hard | 0.65 | 0.810 | $86,890 | 1.70 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 8.2 | Hard | 0.63 | 0.793 | $74,400 | 1.45 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | 8.0 | Hard | 0.73 | 0.909 | $65,730 | 1.29 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | 8.0 | Hard | 0.75 | 0.943 | $61,830 | 1.21 |
| 5 | New York, NY | 7.9 | Hard | 0.68 | 0.853 | $61,190 | 1.20 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | 7.9 | Hard | 0.60 | 0.754 | $58,810 | 1.15 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | 7.9 | Hard | 0.99 | 1.244 | $75,150 | 1.47 |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | 7.9 | Hard | 0.77 | 0.966 | $58,950 | 1.15 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | 7.8 | Hard | 0.43 | 0.538 | $61,240 | 1.20 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | 7.8 | Hard | 0.80 | 1.003 | $59,390 | 1.16 |
Takeaways
- San Francisco scores 8.2 and pays about $74.4K, 45% above the national median, in San Francisco records work.
- Denver's records share is 0.43, barely half a typical Denver metro, and still thin.
- Milwaukee pays about $65.7K, 29% above the national median, and Milwaukee's bench is still a fifth light.
- New York records specialists score 7.9, with a New York share of 0.68, so New York isn't easy.
For recruiters
- Staff San Jose first and set each San Jose offer from the local San Jose median.
- Don't call Baltimore the simple fill, because Baltimore is still a hard records search.
- Pair the California wage in the Hiring Pack.
FAQ
- Are these posted wages or open jobs?
- No. The table is a government survey or a designation file.
- What should a recruiter do first?
- Follow the recruiter note on this page.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Related hiring pages
Methodology
Rows are the scored metro pages for Medical Records Specialists (29-2072) with the highest public market difficulty score, up to 10. Metros under 500 workers are not scored. A metro page is scored only when OEWS employment for that occupation is at least 500. Below that, the page stays up and is left off this ranking. Postsecondary teaching occupations and medical scientists are left off even when they are scored. Nominal weights, before a missing shortage match is rescaled, are projected openings divided by 2025 employment 18%, projected growth 22%, the metro median divided by the U.S. median 40%, how common the occupation is locally compared with the country 8% (the location-quotient column; a lower figure means a thinner local bench), a matching HRSA shortage designation 8%, and statewide all-industry JOLTS for December 2025 4%. Bands are Standard under 4, Elevated from 4 up to 7, and Hard at 7 and above. The California total-nonfarm job openings rate for December 2025 is 3.6. The U.S. rate is 4.0. Both are all-industry JOLTS rates. The article is tagged to California because that state holds the leading metro, so the publishing calendar does not stack it with another California article the same day. Rounded figures in the prose: $86,890 is stated as about $86.9K. a comparison of 1.70 is stated as 70 percent. $51,140 is stated as about $51.1K. Rounded figures in the prose: $74,400 is stated as about $74.4K. a comparison of 1.45 is stated as 45 percent. $65,730 is stated as about $65.7K.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · May 2025
- BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, total nonfarm · December 2025
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