Fact · Transcription
4-9hours of transcribing per hour of audio or video
A Claremont Colleges oral history guide says that by some estimates one hour of audio or video can take 4 to 9 hours to transcribe, depending on the subject, the number of speakers and the audio quality.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“one hour of audio or video can take 4-9 hours to transcribe”
Oral History Toolkit: Stage 3, Post-Interview, Claremont Colleges Library, Claremont Colleges Library research guides, n.d., Post-interview stage, transcription advice.
Open the original- What it measures
- The guide is for oral history interviewers who type transcripts themselves. It names free playback tools among its resources.
- What it does not show
- The guide says there is no hard and fast rule. The range is an estimate for typed transcription, not a measured average, and it does not give the typing speed behind it.