Medical Transcriptionists Salary
The median pay for a medical transcriptionists in Roanoke, VA is $29,870/year ($14.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.62), which stretches that salary to about $31,906 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,254/month, about 59.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $30K get you in Roanoke?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Roanoke’s Regional Price Parity (93.62). 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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What this looks like in Roanoke
Pay for medical transcriptionists in Roanoke runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $40K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,254/month, which is 60.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.62 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Roanoke, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $36K | $39K |
| Richmond | $35K | $36K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $37K | $38K |
| Charlottesville | $38K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Roanoke, VA
Entry-level medical transcriptionists (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $11K 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 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -7% | 210 |
| Missouri | $37K | -7% | 310 |
| 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
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 Roanoke numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical transcriptionist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Roanoke?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 60.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,254/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 Roanoke?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical transcriptionists typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,549/month. At HUD’s $1,254/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Roanoke?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $30K here vs. $40K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Roanoke compare to the national average for medical transcriptionists?
Roanoke pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.62), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do medical transcriptionists make in Roanoke, VA?
The median is $29,870 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,810, and experienced medical transcriptionists can clear $36,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Roanoke?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,070/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,254/month, which eats 60.6% 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 Roanoke?
Roanoke has a Regional Price Parity of 93.62 (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 $31,906 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.