How Much Do Medical Transcriptionists Make in a Year in Pennsylvania?

Medical transcriptionists translate the sometimes rushed, fast-paced verbal notes from doctors' recordings into medical documents for insurance purposes, patient records and presurgery notation. Transcriptionists work with a number of tools to perform their jobs, from headsets to dictation machines to word processing programs. In Pennsylvania, medical transcriptionist salaries were just under the nation's average for the field.

Facts

When it surveyed medical transcriptionist salaries in 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) established a nationwide median salary for the profession of $32,600 per year. Salaries for medical transcriptionists in Pennsylvania fell just below the country's average, with a statewide annual median wage of $31,790 per year, a difference of $810.

Range

A segment of Pennsylvania's 4,910 medical transcriptionists (in May 2009) did average higher salaries than their colleagues in other states. The 90th percentile of Pennsylvania medical transcriptionist salaries averaged $42,840 per year. Balancing out the range, salaries of medical transcriptionists earning at the state's 10th percentile averaged $21,950 per year.

Considerations

Pennsylvanians seeking salaries as medical transcriptionists have a number of ways to enter the profession. Some employers require just a high school diploma and perform their own on-the-job training. Other options include postsecondary education through one- and two-year programs at colleges accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education, including seven in-state options: University of Pittsburgh, Community College of Allegheny County, Gwynedd Mercy College, DeVry University, Temple University, Pennsylvania College of Technology and South Hills School of Business and Technology.

Outlook

The BLS expects the aging baby boomer population's increased need for medical services to contribute to an 11 percent growth in employment of medical transcriptionists, adding 11,700 jobs nationwide through 2018.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Transcriptionists
• StateUniversity.com: Medical Transcriptionist Job Description
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics
• Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education: Accredited Program Directory