How much do medical transcriptionists make?

In May 2025 the median medical transcriptionist in the US earned $40,410 a year, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also reports as $19.43 an hour ^{1 2}. Pay spreads widely around that figure. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,250 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $55,950 ^{3 4}.

The median is below the median for all US jobs

The median for all occupations in the US economy was $50,980 in May 2025 ⁵. Medical transcriptionists earned about $10,570 less at the median ⁶. The comparison is useful for setting expectations, but it does not mean every transcriptionist earns less than every other worker.

The BLS publishes these figures, and it is the national reference we found most reliable. We did not use pay figures from job sites, because the figures we checked disagreed with one another and with the official data.

Hours and the pay basis change what you take home

The hourly rate does not tell you how many hours you will work. BLS says most medical transcriptionists are full time, but part-time work is common ⁷. A part-time transcriptionist therefore earns less in a year than the annual median suggests, even at the same hourly rate.

Pay also depends on how the work is counted. Some employers pay by the hour, some by the line and some by the report. The official median does not separate these. Per-line billing has an older basis. The 2007 AHIMA and MTIA joint task force described the 65-character line as the previously advanced standard unit of measure for medical record transcription ⁸. The task force proposed the visible black character as a replacement ⁹. We did not find a current industry standard for counting lines, and we did not verify a current per-line rate, so a per-line offer should be checked against the contract's definition of a line. Our glossary entry on the transcription line rate explains the terms.

What drives the spread within the field

The BLS median reflects everyone in the occupation, so it does not explain the range. Pay in the field can vary with the employer, the region, the specialty and the pay basis. We did not find a primary source that quantifies each of these effects. We also did not find evidence that holding a certificate changes pay. Our question on how to become a medical transcriptionist covers the training routes, and the certificate's value to a specific employer is a question to ask them directly.

Pay figures for any single year describe the market at that time, not the trend. For the outlook, which is a projected decline in employment, read our question on whether AI is replacing medical transcription.

What to do before you accept a rate

1. Ask how the rate is calculated. Confirm whether it is hourly, per line or per report. For a per-line rate, get the written definition of a line, including how formatting and blank lines are counted.
2. Compare the rate with the official range. A rate near the BLS median ($40,410 ¹) is typical. A rate near the bottom decile should prompt questions about hours, equipment and the length of the contract.
3. Ask about hours. Find out whether the role is full time or part time, and whether the hours are set. Part-time roles are common in this field ⁷, so a low annual figure may reflect fewer hours rather than a low rate.
4. Ask what you are paid for. A rate that covers review and correction of machine drafts reflects a different job than one that covers typing from audio. Our question on what a medical transcription editor does describes the review role.

For the full picture of the job, read our guide to medical transcription. For the wider field, see the dictation for work overview.