Headline pay
The cleanest single number for an experienced, credentialed cancer registrar working full-time at a US hospital is roughly $72,000-$78,000. That figure comes from NCRA's most recent member salary survey and aligns with PayScale and Glassdoor self-reported data for CTR/ODS-credentialed registrars with 5-10 years of experience. Entry-level abstractors (typically with associate degree completion of an NCRA-accredited cancer registry program but no CTR/ODS yet) start closer to $52,000-$60,000.
The role has unusually wide compensation dispersion because the title "cancer registrar" covers everything from a junior abstractor at a 200-bed community hospital to a registry director at a state central registry overseeing 30+ hospitals. NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers and the large national hospital systems (HCA, AdventHealth, Ascension) anchor the top of the band.
Because BLS doesn't publish a dedicated cancer registrar SOC code, the BLS data on this page reflects Medical Records Specialists (29-2072) overall. That figure systematically understates credentialed-registrar pay because it averages registry abstractors in with HIM clerks and release-of-information specialists.
NCRA salary distribution
NCRA conducts a periodic member salary survey. The most recently published distribution (full-time, US-based, CTR-credentialed) breaks roughly as follows. Treat these as directional rather than precise; sample size varies year to year and self-reported survey data carries bias.
| Salary band | % of credentialed registrars | Typical profile |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000-$60,000 | ~14% | Entry / pre-credential abstractor |
| $60,000-$70,000 | ~24% | CTR/ODS, 2-5 years |
| $70,000-$80,000 | ~26% | CTR/ODS, 5-10 years (modal band) |
| $80,000-$95,000 | ~20% | Senior abstractor, lead, large system |
| $95,000-$110,000 | ~10% | Registry supervisor, central registry lead |
| $110,000+ | ~6% | Director, NCI center registry manager |
The modal band (where the largest share of registrars sit) is $70,000-$80,000, which gives the most defensible single answer to "what does a cancer registrar make."
Hospital vs central registry vs remote contract
Setting matters more for cancer registrars than for most HIM roles because the work is genuinely different across settings. A hospital-based abstractor handles everything from case-finding through follow-up. A central registry analyst processes already-abstracted data from member hospitals. A contract abstractor at Registry Partners or CHAMPS handles backlog or staff-shortage work across multiple client hospitals.
| Setting | Typical pay (CTR-credentialed, FT) | Remote share |
|---|---|---|
| Community hospital (under 200 beds) | $62,000-$76,000 | High (75%+) |
| Regional hospital (200-500 beds) | $68,000-$84,000 | High |
| Academic / NCI-designated center | $76,000-$98,000 | Hybrid / on-site preferred |
| State central registry | $70,000-$95,000 | High |
| Contract abstracting firm | $72,000-$95,000 (FT salaried) or $45-$75/hr (PRN) | Nearly 100% |
| Registry software vendor (Onco, ERS, etc.) | $85,000-$120,000 | Remote |
Registry software vendors pay the most because they hire credentialed abstractors as implementation specialists, support engineers, and product specialists. These roles require the CTR/ODS credential plus solid client-facing communication.
Pay by experience
The pay curve for cancer registrars is steeper in the first six years (during the climb to credential and senior abstractor) and flatter after year ten unless the registrar moves into supervision or vendor work.
| Experience | Typical title | Pay range |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 yr | Registry trainee / assistant | $48,000-$58,000 |
| 1-3 yr | Abstractor (pre or just-credentialed) | $58,000-$70,000 |
| 3-7 yr | CTR/ODS abstractor | $70,000-$84,000 |
| 7-12 yr | Senior abstractor / lead | $80,000-$96,000 |
| 12+ yr | Supervisor / manager / director | $92,000-$130,000+ |
Registrars who exit the abstracting track for adjacent oncology data analytics roles, EHR optimization (Epic Beacon, Cerner Oncology), or clinical research data management can reach $110,000-$150,000 by year 10-12.
Contract and consulting rates
Contract abstracting is a significant slice of the cancer registry job market. Hospitals routinely fall behind on case completion deadlines (typically 6 months post-diagnosis) and bring in contract abstractors to clear backlogs. The big three firms in this space are Registry Partners, CHAMPS Oncology, and Themis Oncology / RegistryPros.
| Arrangement | Rate | Annualized (FT-equivalent) |
|---|---|---|
| W-2 contract (firm employed) | $45-$60/hr | $93,000-$125,000 |
| 1099 independent abstractor | $55-$75/hr | $115,000-$155,000 (less self-employment tax + benefits) |
| Backlog / rush rates | $70-$90/hr | Engagement-based |
| Per-case (some firms) | $18-$32/case | Highly variable by case complexity |
Independent 1099 abstractors who hold the CTR/ODS plus 8+ years of experience and contract directly with hospitals can clear $150,000+ gross, though after self-employment tax, retirement contributions, and benefits the net comparison to a W-2 senior abstractor role is much narrower than the headline rate suggests.
Per-case pricing is increasingly common for backlog work but exposes the abstractor to case complexity variance. Hematologic and head-and-neck cases routinely take 2-3x longer than a typical breast or colon case at the same per-case rate.
Sources
- National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) most recent member salary survey.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072), May 2024.
- NCRA CTR-to-ODS credential rename announcement (2024).
- PayScale and Glassdoor self-reported wages, CTR/ODS-credentialed registrars (US, 2025).
- Public job postings: Registry Partners, CHAMPS Oncology, RegistryPros, ERS, Onco, state central registries (Q1-Q2 2026).
- Job posting analysis: NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center cancer registry openings, 2025-2026.