Medical Transcriptionists earn a median of $40,410 per year ($19.43/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 4.4% through 2035, with about 6,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 31-9094
- Healthcare Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Medical Transcriptionist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $40,410a year, or $19.43/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $28KTop 10% $56K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -4.4%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−4.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −4.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,20042,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202542K
- Projected 203540.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 42K Projected 2035 40.2K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school16.7%
- Certificate38.9%
- Some college33.7%
- Associate's10.7%
Highest education held by medical transcriptionists Segment Value High school 16.7% Certificate 38.9% Some college 33.7% Associate's 10.7%
Also advertised as: Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Documentation Specialist, Medical Language Specialist, Medical Scribe, Medical Transcriber, Medical Transcriptionist.
Pay
How much do Medical Transcriptionists make?
Every medical transcriptionist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$40,410
Middle half earn $34,150 to $48,000
- 10th
- $28,250
- 25th
- $34,150
- 75th
- $48,000
- 90th
- $55,950
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $28,250 |
| 25th | $34,150 |
| Median | $40,410 |
| 75th | $48,000 |
| 90th | $55,950 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $40,410
- Median hourly wage
- $19.43/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $41,710
- People employed
- 41,550
Versus all US occupations
At $40,410, Medical Transcriptionists earn 21% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $10,570 a year.
Versus healthcare support occupations
Inside the Healthcare Support group, where the middle occupation pays $42,260, this is 4% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $55,950 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,250, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Minnesota posts the highest raw median ($50,030), but once local prices are taken into account Wisconsin leads at $52,234 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Medical Transcriptionists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Minnesota | $50,030 | $50,730 | 270 |
| 2Wisconsin | $49,150 | $52,234 | 590 |
| 3Maine | $48,600 | $50,077 | 80 |
| 4Alaska | $48,360 | $47,245 | 110 |
| 5Connecticut | $48,190 | $46,511 | 390 |
| 6Wyoming | $48,100 | $51,893 | 40 |
| 7Oregon | $46,280 | $44,775 | 510 |
| 8South Dakota | $46,070 | $52,006 | 240 |
| 9Nebraska | $45,880 | $50,920 | 230 |
| 10Illinois | $45,490 | $45,509 | 970 |
Job outlook
Is Medical Transcriptionist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -4.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Medical Transcriptionists | −4.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Medical Transcriptionists to change -4.4% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,900 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,200 openings are projected each year, 14.8% of the 42,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Technological advances in speech recognition and natural language processing allow physicians to document patient encounters in real time, reducing the need for medical transcriptionists. In addition, these technologies increase medical transcriptionists' productivity, allowing more transcription by fewer workers.
Getting in
How to become a Medical Transcriptionist
Medical transcriptionists typically need postsecondary education that leads to a certificate. Prospective medical transcriptionists must know basic medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and rules of grammar. Some choose to become certified.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as medical transcriptionists.
- Post-Secondary Certificate38.9%
- Some College Courses33.7%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)16.7%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 38.9% |
| Some College Courses | 33.7% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 16.7% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Medical Transcriptionist do?
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.
Medical transcriptionists, sometimes referred to as healthcare documentation specialists, use electronic devices to convert voice recordings from physicians and other healthcare workers into formal reports. Transcriptionists also may edit medical records for accuracy and return documents for review and approval.
Day-to-day tasks
- Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
- Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
- Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
- Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
- Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
- Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
- Perform a variety of clerical and office tasks, such as handling incoming and outgoing mail, completing and submitting insurance claims, typing, filing, or operating office machines.
- Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most medical transcriptionists are full time, but part-time work is common. Medical transcriptionists who work from home may work outside typical business hours and may have flexibility in determining their schedules.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where medical transcriptionists work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Offices of physicians39%
- Administrative and support services30%
- Hospitals; state, local, and private11%
- Outpatient care centers4%
- Offices of other health practitioners4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Offices of physicians | 39% |
| Administrative and support services | 30% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 11% |
| Outpatient care centers | 4% |
| Offices of other health practitioners | 4% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Writing3.9
- Monitoring3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Coordination2.5
- Instructing2.1
- Service Orientation2.1
- Persuasion1.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Coordination | 2.5 |
| Instructing | 2.1 |
| Service Orientation | 2.1 |
| Persuasion | 1.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Billing and invoicing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Desktop communications software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Medical Transcriptionist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Medical Transcriptionist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Conventional6.3
- Social3.7
- Investigative3.6
- Realistic2.5
- Artistic1.7
- Enterprising1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Medical Transcriptionist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Office and Administrative Support
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Office and Administrative Support
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant
$45,930median a year
Most earn $36K to $61K
+4.8%High school - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Health Information Technologist and Medical Registrar
$68,020median a year
Most earn $40K to $117K
+15.9%Associate's
More healthcare support careers
Median annual pay, with medical transcriptionists highlighted
- Occupational Therapy Assistant$72,300
- Physical Therapist Assistant$68,380
- Massage Therapist$58,450
- Dental Assistant$48,070
- Medical Assistant$45,690
- Phlebotomist$45,230
- Nursing Assistant$42,260
- Medical Transcriptionist$40,410
- Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker$38,150
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 |
| Massage Therapist | $58,450 |
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 |
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,260 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | $40,410 |
| Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker | $38,150 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Medical Transcriptionist appears on
Questions
Medical Transcriptionist: frequently asked questions
How much do Medical Transcriptionists make?
Medical Transcriptionists earn a median of $40,410 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 21% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $19.43/hr. The middle half earn between $34,150 and $48,000. The top 10% earn $55,950 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Medical Transcriptionist?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Medical Transcriptionists. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 38.9% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Medical Transcriptionist a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 4.4% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,900 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Medical Transcriptionist do?
Medical transcriptionists, sometimes referred to as healthcare documentation specialists, use electronic devices to convert voice recordings from physicians and other healthcare workers into formal reports. A core O*NET task: translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Medical Transcriptionists the most?
The highest state medians for Medical Transcriptionists are Minnesota ($50,030), Wisconsin ($49,150), Maine ($48,600) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Wisconsin moves to the top at $52,234.
What personality type suits a Medical Transcriptionist?
O*NET scores Medical Transcriptionists highest on the Conventional, Social and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.