Medical Transcriptionists Salary
The median pay for a medical transcriptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $26,850/year ($12.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $20K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $27,519 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 88.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $27K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for medical transcriptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $40K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 91.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for medical transcriptionistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for medical transcriptionists in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $45K | $46K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $31K | $32K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $46K | $50K |
| Winston-Salem | $44K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level medical transcriptionists (10th percentile) start around $20K. Mid-career wages sit at $27K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Transcriptionists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Medical Transcriptionists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $50K | +24% | 270 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +22% | 590 |
| Maine | $49K | +20% | 80 |
| Alaska | $48K | +20% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $48K | +19% | 390 |
| Wyoming | $48K | +19% | 40 |
| Oregon | $46K | +15% | 510 |
| South Dakota | $46K | +14% | 240 |
| Nebraska | $46K | +14% | 230 |
| Illinois | $45K | +13% | 970 |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +12% | 70 |
| California | $45K | +11% | 5,860 |
| Iowa | $45K | +11% | 180 |
| Tennessee | $45K | +11% | 1,450 |
| North Dakota | $45K | +11% | 120 |
| Hawaii | $44K | +10% | N/A |
| New York | $43K | +7% | 2,710 |
| Colorado | $43K | +7% | 610 |
| Texas | $43K | +6% | 7,520 |
| Florida | $42K | +4% | 2,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $42K | +3% | 1,130 |
| Indiana | $41K | +2% | 790 |
| Montana | $41K | +2% | 80 |
| Maryland | $40K | -1% | 230 |
| Utah | $40K | -2% | 210 |
| Nevada | $39K | -3% | 210 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -3% | 1,020 |
| New Jersey | $39K | -3% | 1,710 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -3% | 690 |
| Washington | $39K | -4% | 620 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -4% | 300 |
| Idaho | $38K | -6% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -6% | 420 |
| Missouri | $37K | -7% | 310 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -7% | 210 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -7% | 90 |
| Michigan | $37K | -8% | 1,130 |
| Ohio | $37K | -8% | 680 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | -9% | 400 |
| Arizona | $37K | -10% | 700 |
| Kansas | $35K | -12% | 420 |
| Alabama | $35K | -13% | 410 |
| Virginia | $35K | -13% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $35K | -13% | 280 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | -14% | 80 |
| Delaware | $34K | -16% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $34K | -16% | 390 |
| Vermont | $33K | -18% | N/A |
| Georgia | $28K | -30% | 950 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -31% | 560 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
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 Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical transcriptionist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $27K, rent takes 91.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical transcriptionists in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical transcriptionists typically earn — is $20K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,228/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 139% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is medical transcriptionist a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $27K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for medical transcriptionists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $27K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $28K — below the national median.
How much do medical transcriptionists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $26,850 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,470, and experienced medical transcriptionists can clear $55,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $27K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,867/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 91.6% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $27,519 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.