Job Prospects & Salary
Cancer registrars work in the Health Information Management (HIM) field, a growing industry in the U.S. Career opportunities are plentiful in some areas of the U.S. If you live in an area with several hospitals, then your prospects are better than rural areas with only one facility. If you work in the city where the state health department is located, then you may be able to work for the central registry.
Working remotely is a growing trend for cancer registrars. Some hospitals promote this option, but others do not. Many require a few years of experience in the hospital before allowing remote working from home. Some registrars work for outsourcing companies hired by hospitals to staff their cancer registry. Under these arrangements, you could live in one state and work for a hospital in another. The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) makes remote working possible.
Most employers will require you to have earned the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) credential. The ODS credential demonstrates a requisite knowledge and professional competence needed within the cancer registry. It is nationally recognized in the recruitment and retention of registry personnel.
Salary
Like most professions, a cancer registrar’s salary is determined by a variety of factors, including experience, education, credentials, and geography. The annual average salary is noted below. It is from the
National Cancer Registrars Association’s Salary Survey . You may want to download this survey to better understand the salaries available in your area of the country. The survey also notes the importance and value of earning the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) credential. As you can see from below, earning the credential makes a big difference in your salary!
Annual Average Salary
Cancer Registrar/Abstractor: $57,049
Mid-Level Manager: $68,249
Manager/Director: $81,435
ODS Credential Salary vs. Non-ODS Credential Salary
Cancer registrars who hold the ODS credential have a higher annual salary than non-ODSs. The annual salary difference is about a 54%.
ODSs earn: $72,720
Non-ODSs: $47,338