Medical Transcriptionists Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a medical transcriptionists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $43,930/year ($21.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $47,906 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 44% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About medical transcriptionists
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level medical transcriptionists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Transcriptionists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $52K | +39% | 370 |
| Wyoming | $51K | +35% | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +30% | 750 |
| Maine | $49K | +29% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $47K | +25% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $46K | +22% | 40 |
| South Dakota | $46K | +21% | 350 |
| North Dakota | $45K | +19% | 120 |
| Maryland | $45K | +19% | 240 |
| Mississippi | $44K | +17% | 230 |
| Montana | $44K | +16% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $43K | +15% | 1,500 |
| Iowa | $43K | +15% | 200 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | +15% | 50 |
| New York | $43K | +14% | 3,990 |
| Nebraska | $42K | +11% | 420 |
| Tennessee | $41K | +8% | 1,420 |
| Nevada | $40K | +7% | N/A |
| Oregon | $40K | +6% | 690 |
| California | $39K | +4% | 5,630 |
| Utah | $39K | +4% | 240 |
| Florida | $38K | +2% | 2,000 |
| Indiana | $38K | +2% | 1,100 |
| Massachusetts | $38K | +1% | 550 |
| Kentucky | $38K | +0% | 580 |
| Washington | $37K | -1% | 880 |
| Virginia | $37K | -1% | 620 |
| District of Columbia | $37K | -1% | 270 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -2% | 400 |
| Delaware | $37K | -2% | 60 |
| Illinois | $37K | -3% | 1,500 |
| Arizona | $36K | -3% | 920 |
| Michigan | $36K | -4% | 1,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -4% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $36K | -4% | 380 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -5% | 180 |
| Kansas | $35K | -6% | 510 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -8% | 170 |
| Alaska | $34K | -9% | 80 |
| Rhode Island | $34K | -11% | 90 |
| Alabama | $33K | -13% | 720 |
| Arkansas | $32K | -16% | 340 |
| South Carolina | $31K | -16% | 710 |
| Missouri | $30K | -20% | 720 |
| Ohio | $30K | -21% | 1,270 |
| Texas | $29K | -23% | 4,480 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -23% | 570 |
| Georgia | $28K | -26% | 1,830 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -27% | 1,630 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track medical transcriptionists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
How much do medical transcriptionists make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $43,930 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,100, and experienced medical transcriptionists can clear $59,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,938/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 44.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a medical transcriptionists salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median medical transcriptionists salary is worth about $47,906 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do medical transcriptionists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.