RHIT is the associate-degree credential for technical health information roles, and RHIA is the bachelor’s-degree credential for management roles. The RHIA exam is harder to pass: 67% of first-time testers passed in 2025 versus 74% for RHIT. RHIT-track pay has a median of $50,250 a year; RHIA-track pay has a median of $117,960 a year. Real prep reality: both exams use the same 150-question, 3.5-hour, 300-point-passing format, so RHIA’s lower pass rate reflects harder content, not a longer test.
In this RHIA vs RHIT comparison, you’ll get a comprehensive list of differences and a decision framework to help you decide which medical coding certification is the right decision for you.
What Is the Difference Between RHIA and RHIT?
RHIA and RHIT are both certifications issued by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). They test different scopes of health information management (HIM) work and require different levels of education.
| Factor | RHIT | RHIA |
| Full name | Registered Health Information Technician | Registered Health Information Administrator |
| Required degree | Associate degree, CAHIIM-accredited HIM program | Bachelor’s or master’s degree, CAHIIM-accredited HIM program |
| Focus | Coding, data quality, records accuracy | Governance, compliance, leadership, analytics |
| Exam questions | 150 (130 scored, 20 pretest) | 150 (130 scored, 20 pretest) |
| Exam time | 3.5 hours | 3.5 hours |
| Passing score | 300 (scaled) | 300 (scaled) |
| 2025 first-time pass rate | 74% | 67% |
| Exam fee | $229 members / $299 non-members | $229 members / $299 non-members |
| Certified professionals (as of 12/31/2025) | 26,128 | 13,848 |
| CEUs per 2-year cycle | 20 | 30 |
| Typical BLS-tracked median salary | $50,250/year | $117,960/year |
Source: AHIMA RHIT certification page, AHIMA RHIA certification page, BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
What Does an RHIT Do?
The two credentials reflect different levels of responsibility within the same field.
RHIT professionals focus on the technical accuracy and completeness of health data. Core responsibilities include:
- Verifying the completeness and accuracy of medical records
- Coding diagnoses and procedures using ICD and CPT systems
- Maintaining data quality and integrity across health information systems
- Managing release of information requests
- Supporting disease registries and clinical data repositories
Typical RHIT job titles include clinical coder, health information technician, cancer registrar, and data analyst.
Learn More About RHIT Certification: Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) Certification: A Complete Path
What Does an RHIA Do?
RHIA professionals operate at the administrative and management level. Core responsibilities include:
- Managing HIM departments and personnel
- Serving on administrative and clinical committees
- Overseeing budgets and operational planning
- Leading data governance initiatives
- Ensuring HIPAA, privacy, and security compliance
- Managing revenue cycle operations
- Coordinating across clinical, financial, administrative, and IT departments
Typical RHIA job titles include HIM director, HIM manager, coding supervisor, privacy officer, compliance analyst, data quality manager, and EHR implementation specialist.
The practical distinction: RHIT-credentialed professionals work primarily with records and data. RHIA-credentialed professionals manage the systems, people, and policies that govern that data.
Here is a more detailed guide on RHIA Certification: Fastrack Your Healthcare IT Career: The Ultimate RHIA Certification Guide
Are You Eligible to Sit for the RHIT or RHIA Exam?
Eligibility requirements differ significantly between the two credentials.
RHIT eligibility requires graduation from a CAHIIM-accredited associate degree HIM program. CAHIIM currently accredits 350 programs across 49 states, giving candidates broad access to qualifying education pathways.
RHIA eligibility requires one of the following:
- A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a CAHIIM-accredited HIM program
- Graduation from a CAHIIM-approved post-baccalaureate HIM certificate program (for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field)
- Graduation from a program with an AHIMA reciprocity agreement
Proposed RHIT-to-RHIA pathway (2026):
AHIMA’s CCHIIM has proposed an additional eligibility pathway for active RHITs. Under this proposal, candidates would qualify by holding an active RHIT credential, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in healthcare, health informatics, or business, and at least three years of HIM or health informatics experience. This pathway has not been finalized; candidates should verify current requirements directly at ahima.org before applying.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-HIM field, the CAHIIM-approved post-baccalaureate certificate is the most direct route to RHIA eligibility without completing a full second degree.
How Hard Is the RHIT Exam vs. the RHIA Exam?
Both exams share identical format and scoring parameters: 150 questions (130 scored, 20 pretest), a 3.5-hour time limit, a passing score of 300, and computer-based delivery at Pearson VUE testing centers. The exam fee is $229 for AHIMA members and $299 for non-members, with a 30-day waiting period before a retake.
RHIT pass rates (first-time candidates):
- 2025: 74%
- 2024: 78%
- 2023: 84%
RHIA pass rates (first-time candidates):
- 2025: 67%
- 2024: 71%
- 2023: 64%
The RHIA first-time pass rate has been consistently lower than the RHIT rate, which reflects both the broader scope of the RHIA exam and the greater complexity of management and governance content.
- RHIT exam domains (6 domains):
- Data Content, Structure, and Information Governance
- Access, Disclosure, Privacy, and Security
- Data Analytics and Use
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Compliance
- Leadership
- RHIA exam domains (5 domains):
- Information Governance
- Compliance with Uses and Disclosures of PHI
- Data Analytics and Informatics
- Revenue Management
- Management and Leadership
The RHIA collapses technical content into fewer domains while adding depth in management, leadership, and governance. Candidates who have worked in RHIT roles before sitting for the RHIA often report that real-world experience with HIM operations reduces the difficulty of management-focused questions.
What Is the Salary Difference Between RHIA and RHIT?
Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a substantial earnings gap between RHIT-aligned and RHIA-aligned occupations.
RHIT-aligned occupations:
- Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072): 2024 BLS median annual wage of $50,250
- Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars (SOC 29-9021): 2024 BLS median annual wage of $67,310
RHIA-aligned occupation:
- Medical and Health Services Managers (SOC 11-9111): 2024 BLS median annual wage of $117,960
- Lowest 10%: under $69,680
- Highest 10%: over $219,080
Salaries for Medical and Health Services Managers also vary by employer type:
| Employer Type | Median Annual Wage |
| Government | $132,620 |
| Hospitals | $130,690 |
| Outpatient care centers | $106,990 |
| Offices of physicians | $100,780 |
The RHIA-track job outlook adds further context. The BLS projects 23% employment growth for Medical and Health Services Managers from 2024 to 2034, with approximately 62,100 openings per year. That growth rate is considerably faster than the average for all occupations.
For a more detailed guide on RHIA salary, check out:
Which Certification Is Better for Medical Coding, RHIA or RHIT?
RHIT is the better fit for medical coding. The RHIT exam includes a Data Content, Structure, and Information Governance domain and a Revenue Cycle Management domain that map directly onto coding work, and AHIMA lists coding diagnoses and procedures as a core RHIT specialization. RHIA’s domains lean toward governance and leadership rather than hands-on coding.
Coders who want a credential focused specifically on coding accuracy rather than the broader HIM technician scope should also compare AHIMA’s Certified Coding Associate (CCA) and Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credentials, which are narrower than either RHIT or RHIA.
Which Is Better, RHIT or RHIA? A Decision Framework
Neither credential is objectively superior. The right choice depends on where you are now and where you intend to be.
Choose the RHIT if:
- You want to enter the HIM workforce within two years
- Cost and time investment are limiting factors
- You prefer technical and coding work over management responsibilities
- You want to earn income while deciding whether to pursue a bachelor’s degree
- You are mid-career and need a faster credentialing path
Choose the RHIA if:
- You are targeting director, manager, privacy officer, or compliance roles
- You are comfortable with a four-year degree commitment
- Roles you are applying for list the RHIA as required or preferred
- You already hold a bachelor’s degree and are pursuing a CAHIIM-approved post-baccalaureate HIM certificate
Pursue the RHIT first, then the RHIA, if:
- You want fast workforce entry combined with long-term advancement
- You plan to complete a bachelor’s degree while working
- You want to confirm that HIM is the right career path before committing to a four-year program
Already hold a non-HIM bachelor’s degree? The CAHIIM-approved post-baccalaureate HIM certificate path may allow you to become RHIA-eligible without repeating coursework outside HIM. Verify current program availability at cahiim.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I get RHIT or RHIA?
Get RHIT if your goal is a technical or coding role and you want to start working in about 2 years. Get RHIA if your goal is a management or leadership role and you can commit to a 4-year bachelor’s degree in HIM.
Is RHIA worth it?
RHIA-track roles (Medical and Health Services Managers) carry a BLS median salary of $117,960 versus $50,250 for RHIT-track roles (Medical Records Specialists), a gap of $67,710 a year. Whether it is worth it depends on whether the additional 2 years of bachelor’s-level study and the harder exam (67% first-time pass rate) fit a candidate’s timeline and budget.
Is the RHIA exam hard to pass?
The RHIA first-time pass rate was 67% in 2025, 71% in 2024, and 64% in 2023. This is lower than RHIT’s pass rates over the same period (74%, 78%, 84%), even though both exams share the same 150-question, 3.5-hour format.
Can you hold both RHIT and RHIA?
Yes. AHIMA does not require surrendering RHIT when RHIA is earned. Its credential hierarchy simply has RHIA supersede RHIT for recertification tracking once both are active.
Can RHIT do coding?
Yes. AHIMA lists coding diagnoses and procedures in patient records for reimbursement and research as a core function professionals pursue with the RHIT credential.
What is the average RHIT salary?
There is no RHIT-specific salary survey from AHIMA. The closest official figure is the BLS median for Medical Records Specialists (SOC 29-2072), the occupation RHIT most directly maps to, at $50,250 a year as of May 2024.
