Medical Transcriptionists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 31-9094 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$40,414
$19.43/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Is this a competitive Medical Transcriptionists salary in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS May 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q1 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$28K
P25$34K
P50$40K
P75$48K
P90$56K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
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Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.6% (JOLTS, May 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
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Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 4% a year (BLS ECI, Q1 2026). Budget a 3.6-4.1% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Bottom line
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $40,414 to $48,006 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Medical Transcriptionists is $40,414 per year ($19.43/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $34,154 and $48,006 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $55,952 per year. There are approximately 41,550 medical transcriptionists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-4.9%
Slower than average
Annual openings
7K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
44K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
16K
$44,670
Business Support Services
NAICS 561400
11K
$32,220
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
4K
$47,150
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
2K
$46,110
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
2K
$46,160
Wage range across top 5 industries: $32,220 to $47,150 (46% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$13.58
$28,246
P25
$16.42
$34,154
P50MEDIAN
$19.43
$40,414
P75
$23.08
$48,006
P90
$26.90
$55,952
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.6%
Quits Rate
1.7%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings eased to 1.42M (-115K) in May, rate 5.6%, but the sector stays structurally tight. Quits edged down to 1.7%; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average medical transcriptionists salary?
The national median salary for Medical Transcriptionists is $40,414 per year ($19.43/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $34,154 and $48,006 annually.
How much do top-earning medical transcriptionists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Medical Transcriptionists is $55,952 per year ($26.90/hr). The 75th percentile is $48,006 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for medical transcriptionists?
Entry-level Medical Transcriptionists (10th percentile) earn approximately $28,246 per year ($13.58/hr). The 25th percentile is $34,154 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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