Read on to find out more about a career in medical transcription and how much you can earn. Explore the various factors affecting medical transcriptionist salaries, and review a job description for this position.
Job Description
Healthcare professionals usually record important information with voice recordings in order to save time. It is your job to take these recordings, listen to them and transcribe them with a word processing program. As you listen to a recording, you'll copy down all the information you're hearing, pausing when necessary to edit what you've written for clarity and grammar.
The types of reports you can work with include examination assignments, discharge notices, consultation meetings, autopsies and many more. You have a variety of employment options, since medical transcriptionists are needed in government facilities, doctor's offices, hospitals, clinics and medical libraries. You could even work out of your own home if your employer allows you to telecommute.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Court reporters, medical assistants, and information clerks</td></tr>
<tr><td>On-the-job Training</td><td> None</td></tr>
<tr><td>Entry Level Education</td><td> Postsecondary degree award</td></tr>
<tr><td>Key Skills</td><td> Writing, computer and listening skills</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryOverview">Salary Overview</h3><p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the median income for medical transcriptionists was $30,100 in May 2021 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The lowest-paid 10% earned $22,810 at that time, while the highest-paid 10% made around $48,190. In comparison, <i>PayScale.com</i> in February 2023 noted that the median salary for these professionals was $32,692 and that the salary range for most within this career was $16,000-$51,000. <i>PayScale.com</i> also reported that the median for medical transcriptionists with 1-4 years of experience was $39,305.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByEmployer">Salary by Employer</h3><p>According to the BLS, business support services; physicians' offices; medical and surgical hospitals; management, scientific, and technical consulting services; and offices of other health practitioners were the five industries with the highest employment levels for medical transcriptionists in May 2021. The BLS noted that those employed in business support services earned an average of $27,610, while those who worked in physicians' offices averaged $37,730. The other three industries listed above respectively paid $42,460, $27,800 and $33,020 in mean annual wages. These figures, however, included both entry-level and experienced positions.
</p><p>Some top-paying industries for these workers included offices of dentists; data processing, hosting, and related services; medical and diagnostic laboratories; local government; and nursing care facilities. The BLS reported May 2021 average wages for these industries of $50,320, $49,090, $46,190, $45,750, and $44,930, respectively.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation">Salary by Location</h3><p>According to May 2021 salary info from the BLS, average salaries for the five states employing the most medical transcriptionists were $31,710 for Florida, $30,170 for Texas, $34,600 for New York, $37,140 for Pennsylvania, and $32,830 for Illinois. Connecticut ranked number one in the list of the highest-paying states at that time with an average salary of $49,810. Four other states with high average wages included Alaska ($44,730), Minnesota ($44,390), New Jersey ($43,990) and Montana ($43,640). The lowest-paying states, such as Idaho and Georgia, had average wages of $26,220-$34,160.
</p><h3 id="section---JobOutlook">Job Outlook</h3><p>Jobs in this field were expected to see a 7% decline from 2021-2031, reported the BLS. This employment decrease is a result of the technological changes in the way medical transcription is done. The increased use of speech recognition software means fewer transcriptionists will be needed in the future.
</p><p>The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity offers the Registered Medical Transcriptionist and Certified Medical Transcriptionist designations. These require that you demonstrate your knowledge of the field through examinations, continuing education and work experience.</p>
