The median Prior Authorization Specialist salary is $21.75 per hour, or $45,240 per year, based on 150 job postings across 49 states. Compare pay by location, employer, shift, and contract type.
$21.75
Median hourly
$45,240
Annual salary
$18-$27
Pay range
49
States tracked
Salary guide
A typical Prior Authorization Specialist earns $21.75/hr, with most posted roles landing between $20.00 and $24.38/hr.
Recent posted pay is down, with the last 30 days showing -9.1% movement versus the prior period.
Compare locations before accepting an offer, especially when travel stipends or weekend differentials are included.
30-day market pulse
Compare the most recent 30 days of job postings against the previous 30 days. Use this as a quick read on whether pay and hiring volume are moving together.
Posted pay
-9.1%
Current median: $20.00/hr
Prior period: $22.00/hr
Job openings
+54.8%
48 recent postings
Previous period: 31 postings
Daily pay signal
$22.25/hr latest
Year-over-year
Building
We are collecting enough historical Prior Authorization Specialist postings to show a reliable year-over-year pay comparison.
Pay is moving down in recent listings, falling from $22.00/hr to $20.00/hr.
Pay range
The middle band is usually the most useful offer benchmark. The 10th and 90th percentiles show the broader market floor and ceiling.
Entry / low
$18.00
$37,440/yr
Median
$21.75
$45,240/yr
Top earners
$26.50
$55,120/yr
MARKET TRENDS
Month-over-month median hourly pay and posting volume.
| Month | Median Hourly | Postings |
|---|---|---|
Apr 2026Current | $20.00/hr | 42 |
Mar 2026 | $22.00/hr | 37 |
Feb 2026 | $23.00/hr | 12 |
Jan 2026 | $22.75/hr | 26 |
Dec 2025 | $21.50/hr | 25 |
Nov 2025 | $21.50/hr | 8 |
BY LOCATION
See how pay varies across the country. Ranked by job volume.
Estimated from national data
~$25.14
—
Estimated from national data
~$25.17
—
9 postings · 7 companies
$21.50
$19-$23
Estimated from national data
~$21.89
—
8 postings · 6 companies
$25.50
$24-$28
Estimated from national data
~$22.81
—
Estimated from national data
~$24.91
—
Estimated from national data
~$21.29
—
Estimated from national data
~$23.40
—
5 postings · 5 companies
$18.50
$19-$20
Estimated from national data
~$21.21
—
Estimated from national data
~$18.76
—
Estimated from national data
~$24.62
—
9 postings · 7 companies
$21.50
$21-$24
5 postings · 4 companies
$21.00
$17-$22
Estimated from national data
~$24.12
—
Estimated from national data
~$20.00
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.00
—
Estimated from national data
~$19.96
—
Estimated from national data
~$20.85
—
Estimated from national data
~$19.42
—
10 postings · 7 companies
$23.50
$23-$26
7 postings · 4 companies
$22.00
$20-$22
6 postings · 6 companies
$24.00
$22-$27
Estimated from national data
~$24.38
—
Estimated from national data
~$18.96
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.38
—
Estimated from national data
~$24.48
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.80
—
Estimated from national data
~$20.54
—
Estimated from national data
~$19.58
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.30
—
19 postings · 10 companies
$22.00
$20-$25
Estimated from national data
~$19.31
—
Estimated from national data
~$23.55
—
5 postings · 4 companies
$21.50
$20-$22
Estimated from national data
~$24.71
—
Estimated from national data
~$21.34
—
Estimated from national data
~$23.11
—
Estimated from national data
~$21.87
—
Estimated from national data
~$20.27
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.19
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.11
—
8 postings · 7 companies
$21.25
$19-$24
Estimated from national data
~$21.78
—
Estimated from national data
~$21.19
—
Estimated from national data
~$19.21
—
Estimated from national data
~$22.28
—
Estimated from national data
~$19.88
—
Estimated from national data
~$23.77
—
Estimated from national data
~$24.99
—
Est.Estimated values are based on national averages.
BY EMPLOYER
See which companies pay the most and least for Prior Authorization Specialist positions.
Caremed Specialty Pharmacy
12 postings
$26.50/hr
Unknown
6 postings
$23.50/hr
Unknown
6 postings
$23.50/hr
Caremed Specialty Pharmacy
12 postings
$26.50/hr
RELATED POSITIONS
| Job Title | Postings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Prior Authorization Specialist | 84 | $22.00/hr |
| Insurance Authorization Specialist | 3 | $20.00/hr |
| Medical Prior Authorization Specialist | 3 | $22.00/hr |
| Referral & Prior Authorization Specialist | 3 | $23.00/hr |
| Referrals And Prior Authorization Specialist | 3 | $20.00/hr |
PAY FACTORS
How shift type, contract length, and employment type impact Prior Authorization Specialist salaries.
FAQ
The median Prior Authorization Specialist salary is $21.75 per hour, or $45,240 annually. Pay ranges from $18.00/hr (10th percentile) to $26.50/hr (90th percentile) depending on location, experience, and employer.
Based on 150 job postings, the highest paying states for Prior Authorization Specialists include California, Minnesota, Massachusetts. Pay rates vary based on cost of living, demand, and state regulations.
There are currently 150 Prior Authorization Specialist job postings across 49 states, from 114 different healthcare employers.
Prior Authorization Specialist pay varies based on geographic location, years of experience, certifications, shift differentials (nights/weekends), employment type (travel vs. staff), facility type, and specialized skills. Travel contracts typically pay higher hourly rates.
Prior Authorization Specialist pay is currently trending downward. Over the past 30 days, median hourly rates decreased 9.1%.
Prior Authorization Specialist pay varies by specialty and setting. Travel positions typically pay $2.63 to $4.75 more per hour than staff positions. Night shifts and weekend differentials also increase earnings.
Prior Authorization Specialist pay varies by location based on cost of living, local demand, and facility type. Urban areas typically pay more but have higher living costs.
Entry-level Prior Authorization Specialists typically earn around $18.00 to $20.00 per hour ($37,440 to $41,600 annually). With experience, pay increases toward the median of $21.75/hr.
DATA METHOD
Source
Based on 150 active postings with listed compensation for Prior Authorization Specialist. We prioritize postings with explicit hourly or annual pay and exclude rows without usable compensation signals from salary percentiles.
Range
Percentiles show the spread of posted pay, not a guaranteed offer or take-home pay after taxes. State and city views use available market observations and label estimated values when direct samples are limited.
Freshness
Current dataset window: 2025-11-01 to 2026-04-30. Recent trend cards compare the latest posting window with the prior period so short-term pay movement is separated from the full historical median.
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