What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs in Health Informatics?

A health IT project manager oversees technology projects in a healthcare setting. The IT project manager plans, executes, and closes projects while managing teams and coordinating with stakeholders. These professionals must have expertise in both healthcare and IT, along with strong leadership and problem-solving skills. They play a vital role in implementing important systems like EHRs and telemedicine to improve care delivery and patient outcomes.

Average Annual Salary: $100,984

Informatics nurses combine their expertise in IT and patient care to help hospitals and other facilities optimize EHRs, data, and important software applications. They may help develop and implement systems and train other users on how to best use data and technology in the workplace.

Average Annual Salary: $84,433

Clinical informatics specialists work with data produced by healthcare facilities, including data collected by EHRs, imaging databases, and other sources. In smaller practices, the clinical informatics specialist is more of an IT generalist, establishing systems and policies while assisting staff and other users with data entry and evaluation. Many clinical informatics specialists have patient care backgrounds.

Average Annual Salary: $83,132

The health information management or HIM director typically leads the medical coding and records departments. This includes both overseeing operations and collaborating with other stakeholders including top executives to determine needs and strategy. Depending on the size of the facility, the HIM director could manage a handful of people or a large number of employees. Along with a bachelor’s degree, this position often requires experience with medical coding or records.

Average Annual Salary: $79,720

The health informatics specialist helps develop IT applications, processes, and other tools that help care providers use healthcare data more effectively. They typically work in healthcare facilities and systems to establish and maintain the organization’s information technology systems.

Average Annual Salary: $76,288

While this is a figure for all CIOs, there is evidence that averages may be higher for chief information officers (CIO) in a healthcare context. In fact, one report placed the average health system CIO salary at around $460,000. As with many other positions in healthcare, the size of the employer often plays a role in CIO salaries.

It only makes sense that graduate-level training in health informatics would be a cornerstone of many healthcare CIO resumes. In this role, healthcare CIOs serve on the executive team, overseeing technology operations and making key decisions regarding IT strategy, personnel, and resources.

Average Annual Salary: $175,655

Healthcare computer and information research scientists develop innovative technological solutions that improve healthcare delivery. They conduct research that ultimately leads to better systems and methods of addressing complex challenges. Many of today’s computer and information scientists use artificial intelligence to design personalized care plans and improve data analysis. These professionals collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure technology meets clinical needs.

Average Annual Salary: $110,028

Think of the clinical informatics manager as the connection point between the IT department and the healthcare operation. These professionals collect and interpret healthcare data and share the findings with providers to improve patient care. Clinical informatics managers focus on helping to monitor, maintain, and improve safety.

Average Annual Salary: $105,664

A bioinformatics scientist applies computational techniques to analyzing and interpreting medical data. They use software to analyze genomic data and clinical trial results, which ultimately helps personalize medicine through tools like predictive modeling. By collaborating with clinicians, researchers, and IT professionals, they help to translate complex data into actionable medical functions.

Average Annual Salary: $101,408

A healthcare information systems manager ensures that the technological infrastructure—including EHRs, databases, and networks—is operating securely and seamlessly. They work closely with the IT department to implement new technologies that improve patient care and streamline administrative operations. Importantly, healthcare information systems managers must ensure compliance with healthcare regulations and protect sensitive patient data.

Average Annual Salary: $92,580