Clinical Informatics Specialist
A Clinical Informatics Specialist connects clinical care with health technology, helping hospitals and health companies use electronic health records and clinical data safely and effectively. This guide explains typical US pay, how it changes with experience, city and employer, and how to earn more.
$90,000
Low (entry range)
$115,000
Median base salary
$145,000
High (senior range)
Very High
Hiring demand
Salary Range and Percentiles
The typical annual base salary for a Clinical Informatics Specialist in the USA runs from about $90,000 at the low end to about $145,000 at the high end, with a median near $115,000. The role belongs to the Clinical and Product category, because it shapes how clinical workflows and digital health products are designed and used.
| Percentile | Annual base (USD) | What it usually reflects |
|---|---|---|
| Low (10th) | $90,000 | Entry level, smaller employers, lower-cost regions |
| 25th | $101,000 | Early career with hands-on system experience |
| Median (50th) | $115,000 | Mid-level specialist with several years of experience |
| 75th | $130,000 | Experienced specialist or team lead |
| High (90th) | $145,000 | Senior or principal level in high-paying markets |
Salary by Years of Experience
Pay grows steadily as specialists take on larger system rollouts, more complex clinical workflows and leadership duties.
| Experience | Median estimated base (USD) |
|---|---|
| Under 1 year | $90,000 |
| 1 to 3 years | $97,000 |
| 3 to 5 years | $106,000 |
| 5 to 8 years | $117,000 |
| 8 to 12 years | $130,000 |
| 12 or more years | $142,000 |
Salary by City and Region: 10 High-Paying Locations
Pay is highest in large metro areas with many health systems, technology companies and life science employers. Figures are estimated medians and also reflect local cost of living.
| City or metro area | Region | Estimated median (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | West | $135,000 |
| Boston-Cambridge | Northeast | $130,000 |
| Seattle | West | $128,000 |
| New York City | Northeast | $127,000 |
| San Diego | West | $125,000 |
| Los Angeles-Orange County | West | $123,000 |
| Washington, DC | South | $121,000 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | Midwest | $119,000 |
| Chicago | Midwest | $117,000 |
| Denver | West | $116,000 |
By region, the West and Northeast tend to sit above the national median, the Midwest is close to it, and the South is often slightly below it, with exceptions in research hubs such as Raleigh-Durham.
Salary by Employer Type
Employer type affects base pay, bonus potential and career options.
| Employer type | Estimated median (USD) |
|---|---|
| EHR and health IT vendors | $125,000 |
| Pharma and life sciences companies | $124,000 |
| Consulting firms | $122,000 |
| Large health systems | $118,000 |
| Payers and insurers | $112,000 |
| Academic medical centers | $108,000 |
| Community and small hospitals | $100,000 |
Hourly and Monthly Equivalents
To convert annual pay, divide by 2,080 working hours for the hourly rate and by 12 for the monthly rate. Figures are before taxes and exclude benefits.
| Level | Annual | Monthly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43.27 |
| Median | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55.29 |
| High | $145,000 | $12,083 | $69.71 |
How It Compares to Related HealthTech Roles
Many roles share skills with clinical informatics. The table shows estimated typical ranges for comparison.
| Role | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Informatics Specialist | $90,000 | $115,000 | $145,000 |
| Nursing Informatics Specialist | $85,000 | $110,000 | $135,000 |
| Health Informatics Analyst | $72,000 | $92,000 | $120,000 |
| Clinical Application Analyst (EHR) | $78,000 | $100,000 | $128,000 |
| Clinical Data Analyst | $75,000 | $96,000 | $125,000 |
| Health IT Project Manager | $90,000 | $115,000 | $145,000 |
| Health Tech Product Manager | $105,000 | $135,000 | $170,000 |
Skills That Raise Pay
Responsibilities & Career Path
What the role does
✅ Configure, test and support clinical systems such as electronic health records.
✅ Study clinical workflows and recommend improvements.
✅ Work with clinicians, IT, quality and product teams to turn needs into system changes.
✅ Build and review reports and dashboards from clinical data.
✅ Train staff and provide go-live support.
✅ Help keep systems aligned with safety, privacy and regulatory requirements.
✅ Gather feedback and track issues after changes are released.
Skills that raise pay
✅ Clinical Informatics Analyst or Associate: Entry role focused on system support, testing and workflow documentation.
✅ Clinical Informatics Specialist: Owns configuration, optimization and projects for a clinical area.
✅ Senior Clinical Informatics Specialist or Lead: Guides complex projects, mentors others and advises leaders.
✅ Clinical Informatics Manager or Director: Manages teams, budgets and system strategy.
✅ Chief Clinical Informatics Officer, Chief Medical Information Officer or Product Leader: Sets digital health direction for an organization or product line.
Tips to Increase Your Salary
✅ Earn platform certifications. Certifications in major EHR systems often open higher-paying roles.
✅ Learn data skills. SQL, analytics and visualization let you move into higher-impact work.
✅ Pick up interoperability knowledge. HL7 and FHIR skills are valuable as organizations connect more systems.
✅ Consider employer type and location. EHR vendors, life science companies and large metro areas often pay more.
✅ Lead projects. Owning a full rollout shows readiness for lead and manager titles.
✅ Add a graduate degree or informatics credential. This can support senior and executive paths.
✅ Negotiate with evidence. Compare current postings and show the results of your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Methodology and Disclaimer
Methodology. The low ($90,000), median ($115,000) and high ($145,000) base salary figures are the benchmark range used for this page. Percentiles, experience levels, city and employer figures, and related-role comparisons are estimates built around that range, adjusted for typical experience progression, regional cost differences and employer pay patterns. Hourly figures use 2,080 hours per year and monthly figures use 12 months. They are not drawn from a single survey or official dataset.
Disclaimer. This page is for general information only. Actual pay varies by employer, location, education, licensure, skills, negotiation and market conditions, and may include bonuses and benefits not shown here. It is not financial, legal or career advice. Check current job postings and official salary sources before making decisions. Figures are reviewed periodically and may change.