According to their website, the National Cancer Registrar's Association
(NCRA) has over 5,000 members. This includes various categories of members
and includes members from other countries. "We estimate from various sources
that there are about 7,000 people working as cancer registrars in the U.S.,"
says Linda Mulvihill. She's a board member with the NCRA.
The NCRA estimates that there will be 800 new positions created within
the next 15 years. They expect to see many job openings as people retire.
There are not enough cancer registrars to fill the positions that open
up.
"Yes, there is an increasing demand," remarks Mulvihill. "We measure that
by the length of time it takes an employer to fill a position." She adds that
the shortage is more severe in some areas than in others.
In 2008, Advance magazine did a salary survey of health information professionals
in the U.S. They reported that full-time cancer registrars earned an average
of $41,600.
"We found that the region where you work has a lot to do with how much
you make," says Mulvihill. For example, people in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and
Nebraska earned an average of $38,417. Cancer registrars in New York and New
Jersey earned $57,206.
Cancer registrars in suburban areas earned more than those in urban locations.
Those in rural areas earned the least.
Earnings and employment information from the U.S. Department of Labor is
not available for this field at this time.