Medical Transcriptionists Salary
The median pay for a medical transcriptionists in Iowa is $45,010/year ($21.64/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $50,653 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Iowa?
About medical transcriptionists
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for medical transcriptionists, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $40K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level medical transcriptionists (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Transcriptionists salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $41K | -8% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track medical transcriptionists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical transcriptionist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical transcriptionists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical transcriptionists typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,536/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 Iowa?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $45K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for medical transcriptionists?
Iowa pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical transcriptionists make in Iowa?
The median is $45,010 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,600, and experienced medical transcriptionists can clear $52,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,005/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 35.4% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $50,653 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.