Hi Jessica,

The job outlook is favorable in my view, yet challenging for new comers to navigate without knowing the art of networking.  The pay can range from like $15-$30/hr with physician coding being in the low end and hospital inpatient coding being on the high end.  You spend most of your day reading medical records and abstracting data from those records as well as interacting with physicans and other colleagues regarding coding and billing issues.  The codes and rules constantly change so if you like a challenge, the challenge is to stay on top of the changes...there is something new that you learn every day which makes this field enjoyable.  I would say that it is better to get an associates (a degree) and also get a certification (as CCS-P or CCS) to be most marketable.  You would do well to go ahead and start with a lower level position like billing or other clerical work in a provider setting while you pursue a degree.