Trade Schools
If you live in South Carolina and you want to start a career in the healthcare field in less than one year, the medical biller and coder profession is worth exploring.
As a worker in this profession, your main role will be to help healthcare facilities manage insurance claims, invoices, and payments.
In order to do this, you must know how to take the provider’s diagnostic and procedural notes and convert them into the correct codes for record and billing purposes.
Once the coding is completed, billing specialists generate invoices and send the claims to insurance providers.
Insurance companies accept or deny the claims depending on the codes.
The remaining amount is then sent to the patient for payment.
Medical billers and coders act as a liaison between insurers, medical offices, and patients.
They handle confidential information and abide by HIPAA laws and other medical policies.
To help you choose the program that best meets your needs, on this page, we will compile information about the best medical billing and coding programs near you.
1University of South Carolina
About the School
The University of South Carolina provides two-year associate degrees, face-to-face baccalaureate degree programs, and 19 online bachelor’s degrees.
The university is located in the heart of the state, about 45 miles east of the capital of Columbia.
Courses Offered
The University of South Carolina provides a Medical Billing and Coding program that prepares students for careers in the healthcare field.
The fully online course prepares students for the medical billing and coding professional certification that best aligns with their interest and career goals.
Students learn how to use the Healthcare Common procedure using the Coding System and the CPT Category II and ICD-10 codes.
They also gain hands-on practice using medical billing and coding software.
After completing the course, students receive a voucher for the certification exam of their choice: CPC, CCA, or CBCS.
Students gain hands-on billing experience with medical billing and coding software.
The curriculum includes courses on:
- Medical Terminology
- Introduction to Medical Billing and Coding
- Managed Healthcare
- Revenue Cycle Management
- ICD-10-CM Coding
- CPT Coding
- HCPCS Level II Coding
- ICD-10-PCS Coding
- Pharmacology for Coders
- Insurance Claims
- And more
The course is available fully online.
Students can start anytime.
Contact Information
- Address: 200 Miller Rd, Sumter, SC 29150
- Phone: 803-408-7814
- Website: https://sc.edu
2Midlands Technical College
About the School
Midlands Technical College offers more than 150 programs in eight schools of study.
Students get flexible schedules with online, virtual, in-person, and hybrid classes.
Courses Offered
The Medical Coding Specialist program at Midlands Technical College prepares students to sit for the Certified Coding Specialist- Physician-based exam through AHIMA.
Students who become certified are eligible for jobs as Medical Coding Specialists.
You must successfully complete the Medical Terminology course with a minimum grade of “C” to enter this program.
The following delivery methods are available:
- On-campus- traditional classes that meet on campus
- Virtual- a fully online program with a live instructor and classmates on specific days
- Hybrid- students take some of the classes online and some on campus
- Online- a fully online program with self-paced work on students’ time and due dates for projects and assignments
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 2408, Columbia, SC 29202
- Phone: 803.738.8324
- Website: https://www.midlandstech.edu
3Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
About the School
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College offers a Medical Coding program that prepares students for careers as Certified Medical Billing and Coding Specialists.
This fully online course prepares students to start a career in a high-demand occupation and earn the medical billing and coding professional certification.
Students learn how to use the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) and the CPT Category II and ICD-10 codes.
The program also provides hands-on practice using medical billing and coding software.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Introduction to Medical Terminology
- Introduction to Medical Billing and Coding
- Introduction to Health Insurance
- Managed Healthcare
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Legal Aspects of Health Insurance and Reimbursement
- ICD-10-CM Coding
- CPT Coding
- HCPCS Level II Coding
- ICD-10-PCS Coding
- Pharmacology for Coders
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 3250 St. Matthews Road, Orangeburg, SC 29118
- Phone: 803.536.0311
- Website: https://www.octech.edu
4Horry Georgetown Technical College
About the School
Horry Georgetown Technical College offers more than 60 academic programs and 16 workforce development courses.
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Courses Offered
The Medical Coding and Billing Certificate program at Horry Georgetown Technical College prepares students for rewarding career opportunities in the field of Health Information Management and Healthcare Professional Services.
Courses are only available online.
Hands-on coding practice takes place in a virtual setting.
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Medical Terminology
- General Anatomy & Physiology
- Intro to Health Information Coding
- Billing and Reimbursement
- Medical Pathology
- Current Procedural Terminology
- Electronic Health Records Clinical Experience
- And more
In total, the program includes 40 credit hours.
Contact Information
- Address: 2050 Highway 501 East, Conway, South Carolina 29526
- Phone: (843) 347-3186
- Website: https://www.hgtc.edu
5Palmetto School of Career Development
About the School
Palmetto School of Career Development prepares students for careers in positions that play an essential part in every medical office.
The Medical Billing and Coding program available at the school can be completed in 12 months.
The program provides students with training in the most widely used coding systems.
The goal is to prepare students for employment as Billers and Coders in the healthcare field.
Classes take place from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Courses Offered
The skills taught during the Medical Billing and Coding program include:
- Distinguishing between Medicare Part A, B, C, and D
- Interpreting the rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
- Hands-on experience filling out the CMS-1500 form
- Identifying the uses of the CPT manual
- Describing the CPT code format
- Listing the major features of the Level II National Codes, HCPCS
- Describing the HCPCS code format
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 5841 Rivers Ave Suite 112, Charleston, SC 29406
- Phone: (855) 432-2681
- Website: https://palmettoschool.com
6Aiken Technical College
About the School
Aiken Technical College is a public, open-door, two-year, comprehensive institution of higher education.
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees.
Courses Offered
The Medical Coding program at Aiken Technical College prepares students to become health information professionals who know how to assign diagnostic and procedural codes and apply the classification systems for optimal reimbursement.
After completing the program, students are encouraged to take the national certification exam administered by the American Health Information Management Association and/or the American Academy of Professional Coders.
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Basic Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Terminology
- Introduction to Coding and Classification Systems
- Billing and Reimbursement
- Pharmacology for Medical Records Coding
- Senior Professional Competencies
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 2276 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Graniteville, SC 29829
- Phone: 803-593-9231
- Website: https://www.atc.edu
7Miller-Motte College
About the School
Miller-Motte College provides a Medical Billing and Coding program that helps students prepare to pursue a career in healthcare and insurance management.
The program allows students to pursue a diploma or certificate in Medical Billing and Coding in a flexible and affordable environment.
Enrollment is on a rolling basis.
Classes begin every five weeks.
Students can finish with a Certificate or Diploma in Medical Billing and Coding in as little as 15 months.
Courses Offered
The Medical Billing & Coding program covers the following skills:
- Medical Office Systems
- Medical Coding
- Medical Insurance Billing
- Pathology
- Healthcare Systems
- Registers and Statistics
- Pharmacology
- Coding Certification Prep
Contact Information
- Address: 8085 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29406
- Phone: (843) 405-8798
- Website: https://www.miller-motte.edu
8Southeastern College
About the School
Southeastern College provides career education in an environment of personalized attention that simulates the real world.
Courses Offered
The Medical Billing and Coding Specialist program offered by Southeastern College is designed to prepare students for an entry-level position as a medical billing specialist.
Students must meet the following admission requirements:
- Have a high school diploma or G.E.D.
- Pass the entrance examination
- Background check and drug screening where applicable
The following programs are available:
- Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Certificate- a program available in Charleston and Charlotte
- Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Diploma- a program available in Miami Lakes and West Palm Beach
Students must complete 31.5 credit hours in order to graduate.
The programs can be completed in eight months by full-time students and in 15 months by part-time students.
Contact Information
- Address: 581 Columbia Mall Blvd. Columbia, SC 29223
- Phone: (803) 798-8800
- Website: https://www.sec.edu
9Trident Technical College
Trident Technical College offers academic programs in 12 areas of interest.
Courses Offered
The Coding Specialist program at Trident Technical College starts twice per year, in January and in August, and consists of five online coding courses.
Students who enter this online course must first have taken the following prerequisite courses within the last 12 months:
- Medical Terminology
- Pathopharmacology
- Healthcare Data
After successfully completing the program, students are eligible to continue their education with Trident Technical College and complete an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Management.
The following courses are available:
- Health Care Data Content and Electronic Health Records for Coding- a course that costs $75
- Medical Coding Specialist Part II- a $2,500 course
- Medical Terminology for Coding- a $75 course
- Pathopharmacology for Coding- a $75 course
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 118067, Charleston, SC 29423
- Phone: 843-574-6111
- Website: https://www.tridenttech.edu
10Technical College of the Lowcountry
About the School
Technical College of the Lowcountry offers student-centered learning in real-world settings in and out of the classroom, in-person and online.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to 1.
Courses Offered
The Medical Coding and Billing Specialist program at Technical College of the Lowcountry combines the basics of medical coding, medical billing, and medical terminology.
After completing the course, students are fully prepared to begin working in a professional medical office.
Graduates are also prepared to take the NHA Billing and Coding Specialist Certification national certification exam.
Students must have a high school diploma, GED, or other higher education degree.
Tuition for this program is $3,534 and includes books, materials, and an exam voucher.
Contact Information
- Address: 921 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC, 29902
- Phone: (843) 525-8207
- Website: https://www.tcl.edu
Regional Salary in South Carolina
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 480 | $49,640 | $23.86 | $64,940 | $33,180 |
| Columbia, SC | 840 | $55,390 | $26.63 | $76,270 | $34,790 |
| Florence, SC | 130 | $48,890 | $23.51 | $80,760 | $26,360 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 350 | $50,140 | $24.11 | $78,200 | $30,600 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 80 | $50,460 | $24.26 | $66,210 | $34,420 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 130 | $43,930 | $21.12 | $62,400 | $28,580 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 150 | $51,160 | $24.6 | $71,710 | $32,130 |
| Sumter, SC | 30 | $45,450 | $21.85 | $80,670 | $28,620 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
If you want to start a career as a person who connects healthcare providers, patients, and insurance companies by converting medical notes into codes for billing and record purposes, the first step is to complete a training program at a trade school or community college.
Now that you have read our selection of the best medical billing and coding schools in South Carolina the next step is to choose the program that best meets your needs and submit your application.
