SalaryMap USA

Medical Transcriptionists Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for medical transcriptionists in the U.S. is $40,410 ($19.43 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.

Median annual wage
$40,410
Mean annual wage
$41,710
Median hourly wage
$19.43
Employment
41,550

41,550 employed

Wage percentiles

U.S. wage distribution for medical transcriptionists (OEWS May 2025).
PercentileAnnual wageHourly wage
10th percentile$28,250$13.58
25th percentile$34,150$16.42
Median (50th)$40,410$19.43
75th percentile$48,000$23.08
90th percentile$55,950$26.90

Highest-paying states for medical transcriptionists

StateMedian annual wageEmployment
Minnesota$50,030270
Wisconsin$49,150590
Maine$48,60080
Alaska$48,360110
Connecticut$48,190390
Wyoming$48,10040
Oregon$46,280510
South Dakota$46,070240
Nebraska$45,880230
Illinois$45,490970

Lowest-paying states

  • Oklahoma: $27,740 median annual wage
  • Georgia: $28,330 median annual wage
  • Vermont: $33,030 median annual wage
  • South Carolina: $33,870 median annual wage
  • Delaware: $34,070 median annual wage

About this occupation

Transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.

Typical tasks

  • Decide which information should be included or excluded in reports.
  • Take dictation using shorthand, a stenotype machine, or headsets and transcribing machines.
  • Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
  • Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
  • Receive and screen telephone calls and visitors.
  • Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.

Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate

Education levelShare of workers
Less than high school diploma2.1%
High school diploma or equivalent15.4%
Some college, no degree26.3%
Associate's degree17.4%
Bachelor's degree31.3%
Master's degree4.8%
Doctoral or professional degree2.7%

CareerOneStopOccupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Related occupations

About this data

  • Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
  • Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
  • CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.

Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.