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How much on average does 8 cents a line come out to be? - bsz

Posted: Jan 27, 2011

Just curious as I have never been paid by the line, how much does getting paid 7, 8, 9, 10 cents a line average out to be. I realize it all depends on how fast you are but say on average??? What do most companies pay? Thanks!

Averages - Good Luck

[ In Reply To ..]

There are so many variables – for one thing, there are very few straight-transcription only positions left, with the majority of work being SR (Speech Recognition) Editing, at about half the rate. So, if you are paid 8 cents per line for straight transcription (which seems to have become the industry standard), SR Editing will pay somewhere between 4 and 5 cents per line, and some MTSOs are up to 75-85% SR.

So, to answer your question, generally, the following will give you a comparison of how much your income will increase as your lines per hour increase.

100% Straight Transcription

(65-character line, with spaces)

Full-time (40 hours per week)

Gross Salary - No overtime, no bonuses, no shift differential, no incentives

Skill Level	Minimum Lines Per Hour	8 Cents Per Line – Per Hour Pay	10 Cents Per Line – Per Hour Pay	8 Cents Per Line – Yearly Pay	10 Cents Per Line – Yearly Pay
Standard (minimum)	138	11.04	13.80	22,963	28,704
Acceptable	162	12.96	16.20	26,956	33,696
Average	187	14.96	18.70	31,116	38,896
Above-Average	212	16.96	21.20	35,276	44,096
High Producer	237	18.96	23.70	39,436	49,296
Exceptional	275	22.00	27.50	45,760	57,200

Hope this helps to answer you questions.

Good Luck.

Not to mention other factors - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
in the reports such as difficult accents, difficulty of report and/or difficulty of the report specialty. Also, it depends on whether or not the MTSO actually pays you to do research on the report in order to produce a perfect report that is required. Some only pay when your fingers are actually on the keyboard "producing" (quantity vs. quality issue). Some shifts I sit at the computer "working" for 10 or 12 or more hours but I am not allowed to enter the true amount of hours on my time sheet. If I do put my exact amount of hours, management will cut those hours in half or more to show hours that will amount to an average of 200+ LPH and not the true working hours. (Is that even legal?) Therefore, I'm not even close to being considered full-time and obviously receive no benefits.

I, too, wish you Good Luck because after 30+ years at this work, I believe the report I'm working on now is going to be my very last report I type in this profession. My W2 arrived today to the tune of $6022.23 for 8 months. (I couldn't work for 4 months in 2010 due to a severely broken ankle. Of course, the total 5 months I was laid up gave me no medical benefits or PTO.) Obviously, that income is the reason I've lost everything and am now actually homeless. However, I have never made so little in this field, including the 1970's when there were only manual typewriters and about 3 or 4 medical books to reference. But I had benefits and only worked 8 hours a day/40 hours a week.

In my opinion, this work is not worth the effort anymore. After losing my certification because I couldn't afford to pay the ADHI dues or the certification dues, not to mention the several hundred dollars each year to keep up my continuing education credits, my outlook on this field has changed drastically.

I truly do wish you Good Luck in your endeavor. Mine only brought me and many others bad luck, unfortunately; even though I continue to love the actual work but not the so-called legality of MTSO practices that I strongly question.

agree with anon - oaf

[ In Reply To ..]
Another thing you have to seriously consider are the hours you babysit your computer waiting for a job to come in. Some days I'm in here 10 hours and have 200 - 600 lines to show for it because there is so little work. I've got 30+ years in too and am beyond disgusted. Went from 35K in 2000 to 14K this year (in 2000 working part-time at 30 hours a week and now I'm in here on and off all day looking for jobs). Good Luck in your new endeavors - you are not alone fellow seasoned and disgusted transcriptionist.

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