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What do you consider a good income for MT/editing, not cpl but $$ - Please see message

Posted: Aug 09, 2012

I do not mean a per line rate, as that will equate to different incomes for different MTs.

What do you consider a reasonable annual income for a combination of MT/editing; $25,000, $30,000, $40,000, or more?

My income was $47,000 in the past, and will probably drop to $37,000 this year. I don't like it, but I do not have a degree, jobs are not plentiful, and I am thinking that in my rural town, I will not do any better, especially considering clothes and gas, etc. I still love being an MT, even with the pay cut. I am asking myself, honestly, how much am I worth (not how much I want)? I want to be reasonable and honest about it, so then I would have to compare what I make, with 20 years experience, to what other MTs are making for a combination of MT and VR. Actually, I only have 3 years' experience in VR, but I am fairly good as it I guess.

So what does everyone else think? How much do you think you are really and truly worth in today's job market (not what you would like to make). What do you consider fair?

You're making more than most - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

I will gross about 20, working 26 hours a week - not happy, but whatever

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I used to gross 37 for those same hours.

50-60k - sss

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this is what i have been averaging the last 2-3 years

uh-oh, better duck! - clauser

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it's on!

The question is what do you think is a fair income, not what you do make - NM

[ In Reply To ..]
n

At least 50,000 to 60,000 - kristyj

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At least this $50-60,000 with the knowledge that is required for this job.

$45-$55,000 for midwest - Ayn

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I'm thinking in comparison to jobs requiring similar skills for high-school and/or college education in office/business type studies with emphasis on language, English, grammar, organizational, and office-type skills. Although there may not be a degree out there for us specifically, I think our job does require us to have that level of knowledge/skill of at least a 2-year degree, and this seems to be a fair market value for similar level jobs that I see advertised in my area -- which is where I will land when I am forced to leave MT :-(

factoring in all the hassles and unpaid work... - incognito

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We should be grossing $40K at least. This is a hard job, and not just anyone can do it.

I've pondered this myself - Leaving MT

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Here's what I honestly think. First of all, I think it should depend on the level of difficulty of the work and if the MT is a true IC or working for someone else. Working for someone else, I think that clinic only with a regular small pool of dictators, clear speakers, etc., should be about a $25K to $30K job. Acute care with heavy ESL and a large pool of dictators should be about a $35K to $40K job WITH RAISES. If an MT is a true IC with her/his own accounts, then the pay should be over $50K, probably more like $70K. There is a lot more work involved in handling one's own accounts. It is weird with MT, though. The easy stuff pays best!

Anyway, that's what I would consider fair in today's market give or take.

I thank between $30-40,000,,,sm - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
fair working a 40-hour week. If you are making $37,000 for a 40-hour week that would be $17+ per hour gross. When I got outsourced from my hospital job last October, I was making $18+ per hour with fully paid health, 3 weeks vacation, 10 sick days, no weekends, and ALL holidays off (paid). Now, I'm working for an MTSO making $10-12 per hour, pay for my health (reasonable) get diddly squat for PTO, and no holidlays off unless I request using my PTO, and then there is no guarantee they'll grant it off. You're not doing too badly at $37,000, I think.

Well . . . - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I made $48K in 2010, then went down to $35K in 2011 and 2012 is shaping up to be about $26K. I lost a great IC job due to the implosion of the practice I worked for and am now with one of the big MTSOs working for pennies.

It is amazing how fast it has all gone to heck.

I think $36K is reasonable.

For the past 10 years I have made a little over - $37,000 but this year I will

[ In Reply To ..]
probably only make $34,000 or $35,000 due to change in jobs. I think $35,000 to $40,000 is acceptable and fair.

Anything under $30,000 is bad.

The question you asked is too vague. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You can reasonably expect many different estimates of "fair worth" based on a number of factors - e.g., experience, the difficulty, complexity and variety of work being performed, etc. Regional differences in cost of living would also need to be factored in (there is no monolithic "labor market" as you refer to).

The devil is in the details, as they say.

Well said! - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

I know what's not a good income... - minimum wage.

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Even if you are doing the simplest clinic notes at home in your jammies with your cat in your lap, you still deserve better than that.

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