RHIT Certification

The RHIT is the credential that most people in health information management start with. It's two years of school, a moderately difficult exam, and a credential that employers actually recognize as the field's standard. If you graduate from a CAHIIM-accredited associate program, sitting for the RHIT is the obvious next step.

AHIMA issues the RHIT. CAHIIM accredits the associate programs that qualify you to sit for it. Without the CAHIIM-accredited degree, the exam is not available to you.

RHIT eligibility requirements

One domestic path to eligibility: complete the academic requirements of a CAHIIM-accredited associate-level HIM program. No work-experience-only route, no test-only route. The associate degree is the gate. The single exception is graduates of foreign HIM programs approved through an AHIMA reciprocity agreement.

216 programs currently qualify, listed in our directory and at the official CAHIIM directory.

You don't have to wait for your diploma either. AHIMA runs an early-testing option that lets students in their final term sit for the exam before graduation, with the credential awarded once the degree posts. Ask your program director for the early-test form; most CAHIIM programs handle the paperwork routinely.

RHIT exam structure, domains, and cost

The RHIT exam is computer-based: 150 multiple-choice questions, of which 130 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items. Test time is three and a half hours, and the passing score is 300 on AHIMA's scaled scoring. The exam fee is $229 for AHIMA members and $299 for non-members, and a retake costs the same as the first attempt.

AHIMA organizes the content into six competency domains:

• Data content, structure, and information governance
• Access, disclosure, privacy, and security
• Data analytics and use
• Revenue cycle management
• Compliance
• Leadership

The exact domain weights are published in the official AHIMA content outline and revised periodically. Coding questions thread through several domains even though coding isn't a named domain, which surprises a lot of candidates. Treat ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT accuracy as core exam prep, not an elective.

RHIT vs CCA vs RHIA: which credential fits?

Three AHIMA credentials get compared constantly, and they solve different problems. The CCA (Certified Coding Associate) is a coding-only entry credential with no degree requirement, so it's faster and cheaper, but it caps you at coding roles. The RHIT covers the whole health information function: records, privacy, revenue cycle, data quality, and coding. The RHIA is the bachelor's-level credential that opens the management track.

If you already know you only want to code, the CCA plus a coding certificate gets you working sooner, and you can add the CCS later. If you want options beyond coding, the RHIT is worth the two-year degree. Employers write "RHIT preferred" into medical records specialist postings far more often than CCA.

Preparation

A standard prep sequence:

• Work through AHIMA's official RHIT prep materials. The publisher is the credentialing body, so the content alignment is direct.
• Use the AHIMA practice exams. Time yourself. Identify weak domains and re-study those program areas.
• Review classification systems (ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT). Coding accuracy is heavily tested.
• Review HIPAA and information protection. The compliance domain is consistently a stumbling block.
• Schedule the exam for 4-6 weeks after graduation. Long enough to study, short enough that program material is fresh.

Wage impact

BLS does not publish RHIT-specific wage data, but Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072) is the occupation most RHITs work in:

Source: BLS OEWS Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072), May 2025.

New RHITs typically enter at the 10th-25th percentile range. Wages rise with experience, with employer type (hospitals tend to pay more than physician offices), and with specialty work like coding certification (CCS), clinical documentation improvement, or cancer registry credentials.

Where RHITs earn the most: top-paying states

Where you work moves the number as much as the credential does. These are the ten highest-paying states for medical records specialists, and since HIM is one of the few healthcare jobs that can be done remotely, an RHIT in a cheaper state can sometimes code for an employer in one of these:

Source: BLS OEWS Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072), May 2025, state estimates.

RHIT to RHIA path

The RHIT is not a permanent ceiling. Many RHITs complete a CAHIIM-accredited bachelor's degree (often a degree-completion program that accepts associate credits) and then sit for the RHIA. The bachelor's adds about two years of school, costs more than the associate, and opens the manager track.

Whether to do this immediately, after some work experience, or never depends on your career trajectory. See the bachelor's guide and the RHIA vs RHIT comparison for the full decision.

Maintaining the credential

The RHIT does not expire, but maintaining active status requires continuing education hours every two years. CE is earned through AHIMA conferences, approved coursework, and qualifying professional activities. AHIMA's website is the authoritative source for current CE requirements by membership type.

Frequently asked

Next steps

• Associate degree guide: the 216 programs that qualify you for the RHIT.
• RHIA vs RHIT: choosing between the two foundational credentials.
• CAHIIM accreditation: the gating factor.
• AHIMA RHIT page for current fees, dates, and application.

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Sources

• AHIMA. RHIT exam content outline, eligibility, continuing education policy.
• CAHIIM Program Directory.
• BLS OEWS Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072), May 2025.