Medical Transcriptionists
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.
Also called: Certified Medical Transcriptionist, Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Clinical Scribe, Data Transcriber, Documentation Specialist, Emergency Medical Scribe
Median pay
$40,410
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$28,250 – $55,950
People employed
41,550
Holland code
CSI
Conventional · Social · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 2.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 3.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 4.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 5.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Medical Transcriptionists pay by state
Annual median pay by state (49 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What medical transcriptionists do
- 01Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
- 02Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
- 03Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
- 04Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
- 05Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
- 06Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- English Language
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from medical transcriptionists
- Medical Records Specialists88% · +27%
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants84% · +14%
- Word Processors and Typists82% · +22%
- Pharmacy Technicians81% · +13%
- File Clerks79% · +8%
Change into medical transcriptionists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Medical Records Specialists82% · $51,140
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants78% · $45,930
- Word Processors and Typists75% · $49,280
- Library Technicians73% · $44,580
- Pharmacy Technicians73% · $45,750
Majors that lead here
- Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.