Medical Transcriptionists Salary
The median pay for a medical transcriptionists in Louisiana is $38,040/year ($18.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $43,584 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 45.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Louisiana?
About medical transcriptionists
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Medical transcriptionists pay in Louisiana tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 45.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level medical transcriptionists (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Transcriptionists salary by metro in Louisiana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $40K | +4% | 60 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $38K | +1% | 50 |
| Lafayette | $38K | +0% | 150 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $35K | -8% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track medical transcriptionists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a medical transcriptionist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 45.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical transcriptionists in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical transcriptionists typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,836/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Louisiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for medical transcriptionists?
Louisiana pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical transcriptionists make in Louisiana?
The median is $38,040 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,600, and experienced medical transcriptionists can clear $51,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,623/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 45.4% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $43,584 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.