The Average Salary of Medical Transcriptionists

Medical transcription is an increasingly popular career choice because it offers people the chance to work at home. As of 2009, most medical transcriptionists are still employed in hospitals and offices, and generally are paid more than those who work from home. Home workers can be self-employed or work for a transcription company, downloading audio files online, transcribing them, and sending them back electronically. All employers typically prefer transcriptionists to have completed a post-secondary training program, unless they have previously been trained on the job.

Hourly Rate

Hospitals and clinics pay hourly, which is of benefit if the transcriptionist works more than 40 hours a week. Starting median pay as of 2009 was about $11, with an increase to $14 with 5 years experience and to $20 with 20 or more years experience. There is not much difference when comparing the type and size of company worked for--most medical transcriptionists are making between $13 and $16 an hour.

Pay per Project

Medical transcription companies commonly pay by line of type, anywhere from $.06 to $.12 per line, and transcriptionists reporting hourly earnings must divide their total production into how much they produce an hour. Pay rate is commonly assigned according to experience level and quality of output. Certain types of transcription jobs pay more, such as radiology, which requires rapid completion.

General Range

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 80 percent of medical transcriptionists in 2008 were earning between $10.75 and $22 an hour. Narrowing it further, the middle 50 percent were making between $13 and $18.50, with the average for all medical transcriptionists about $16.

Common Employers

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 41 percent of medical transcriptionists work in hospitals and 29 in offices of physicians. Average salary for medical transcriptionists working in hospitals in 2008 was about $16 an hour or $34,000 a year, and those in physician offices about $15 or $32,000 a year.

Potential

Higher-paying opportunities are offered in medical and diagnostic laboratories, which pay about $18.50 on average; and insurance companies and dental offices, which pay about $17.50 on average. Location also matters. Medical transcriptionists working in the greater metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco are making between $21 and $23 an hour on average.