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VR - how much can you make per hour? sm - Sam

Posted: Oct 13, 2010

Just out of curiosity - figure out what you make per hour doing VR. I am looking for like $15/hr or whatever. Then put that into the context of how much you make per hour doing straight transcription.

I don't want your name, your company or anything about you personally. I am just curious to compare what people make doing VR paid per line translated into how much that is per hour.

Thanks for any help.

VR - bunderful

[ In Reply To ..]
When I tried it, it came to about $6.50 an hour, which I'm pretty sure is below minimum wage. I ended up quitting.

If I work my fingers to the bone and don't even - take bathroom breaks,

[ In Reply To ..]
about $9 per hour (less than half what I used to make).

I will share my stats from the last 4 weeks - VR Trainer

[ In Reply To ..]
Doing VR at 2 different companies (part-time at each company), my stats from the last 2 complete payperiods at each:

Co. A:
PP1: Avg Edit 381.9 LPH
PP2: Avg Edit 392.3 LPH

Co. B:
PP1: Avg Edit 472.4 LPH
PP2: Avg Edit 419.3 LPH

I've been doing VR for a while, including training new editors. At each company for production work, I make a percentage rate: 60% of a transcription rate (right at 6 CPL at each company).

What you can make at VR work is dependent upon 2 criterion:
1. What your line rate is.
2. How dedicated and open you are to the process.

If you dread it, don't want to do it, fear it, think negatively about it, you won't do well. It takes time to learn it. I'm not talking about a payperiod or two, either. You need to go through your company's training and repeat that training if at all possible, especially if it is a single class. Then set yourself a schedule to learn to use only the keyboard, begin using dictation speed, etc., until you are where you want to be.

I work consistently when doing VR but I don't kill myself on it.

There are many posts on the VR/SR forum here (and in the archives below) by myself and also another poster (Skilled Editor) and a few others that can really point you in the right direction.

Learning VR successfully and enjoying it is a choice and it is one that you must employ FOR yourself.

You can expect there to be negative responses to my post but those who are successful and enjoy this work are rarely here posting - they are working and going on with their lives. If I were not interested in helping others and understanding what issues they face to make improvements in my own training methods, I would not be posting here, either.

Hope this helps.

VR Trainer

Thanks so much for this - sm - Jill

[ In Reply To ..]
I will be doing VR in the future as my company is getting it - part VR/part transcribing. I was curious to see what is made per line. I luckily will get paid by the hour which I think is a good way to learn, wouldn't you say? Doesn't matter what I produce. I actually think you are paid a lot for VR as most ads I see are for 4/line which stinks and figuring that with what your stats show isn't a great dollar amount per hour. I always said I would not do it as I know I can type it faster but I am not going to have a choice shortly. I appreciate your in-depth response and it sounds like you have a right attitude towards your job!

I think 6 cpl is a great rate. But only a handful offer it. - Most are 3 and 4

[ In Reply To ..]
I think it's appalling to see rates as low as that and then managers call it "industry standard."

I have been doing VR a while now and I love it, but only with a mix of straight transcription. I have found that my days vary, and the days where I work half and half are the most productive pay-wise. I can average around 275 to 320 lph with straight transcription and average around 350 to 420 with VR. When I do all VR, I'm losing money. I'm also paid at 6 cpl, which is great...but it's expected to decrease to 50%. I really don't see how companies can truly validate the 50% cut because you've shown yourself that, being a trainer, you are skilled and proficient, yet in 2 months have not produced 550 to 600 lph. Neither have I...ever.

I think a lot of the negative responses aren't due to the VR itself, but to the really bad compensation offered by some companies, who then say it is industry standard. The "industry standard" is what really bugs me.

I'm not sure where you are getting your information. (sm) - VR Trainer

[ In Reply To ..]
Most of what you just wrote is incorrect, especially in regard to me.

1. There are several top companies that pay VR on a percentage basis of the transcription rate rather than a set VR line rate. Considering, however, that smaller companies usually offer set edit rates and those companies outnumber the larger MTSOs, yes - it is an industry standard.

2. If you are paid at 6 CPL for your editing and your company cuts that by 50% ... You need to leave! If you are being paid 6 CPL for VR, you are probably paid on a percentage scale; your percentage scale is probably at 60%. Perhaps it is just your wording.

3. There are many payperiods I edit at 500-600 LPH. I haven't on the past 2 payperiods with a new account assignment at one company and working to launch a new hospital system with the other. I often do special go-lives and account setups. Again, as I stated in my previous post of stats, I don't work hard at those production rates. I just work consistently. If I push harder, I can maintain higher production but I have a great deal of diversity with what I do and I just simply don't want to work that hard.

VR Trainer

Are you at liberty to name these top companies? - me again

[ In Reply To ..]
Perhaps I did word things wrong in my post. I'm not paid a percentage scale, I am at 6 cpl now on training, will be 50% once training at new company is over.

I left MQ and Transcend both because they will only pay across-the-board cpl for VR. I am sincerely interested in what top companies pay on a percentage basis. When I ask, people will say, "Do your research." I have looked and looked and have not found a company that will pay on a percentage basis. Most of the ones to which I inquired only pay 3 to 5 cpl.

What I wrote in regard to you, since I don't know who you are, is only based on what you have posted. You didn't post that you have many pay periods at 500 to 600 lph, so I was basing it on what I was reading. I didn't mean anything negative towards you with my post. I was referring to what I have encountered, especially since every company that I have worked/interviewed, etc. only pays across-the-board either between 3 and 5 cpl. What do you mean by percentage based? Do you mean 50% of straight typing rate or a percentaged based on your hourly production?

Are you able to consistently produce 500-600 lph every day during these pay periods? If so, does your rate drop to 50% or 40%?

Again, I never meant to offend you or be negative. I was just posting my experience.

What can you suggest for ASR MQ - I suspect your accounts are smooth-sailing - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
we are struggling with continuing software upgrades and additional keyboarding. from what I hear, most of the MTSTARS board coworkers are having a hard time making what they once made, and continue to lose pay with the "upgrades". i see the writing on the wall, the obviousness of the fact we will no longer be needed, at least not at the current employee numbers. i feel your "optimistic" line counts are exagerated or you need to be very specific about the types of jobs and what you must do in each to give a better picture of the situation. I once was a hellfire transcriptionist, but VR hurts my hands and I am not going to ever get knack with it, unless it is perfect. Please give more specifics with your line counts.

The secret to VR - VR Master

[ In Reply To ..]
is to not worry so much about what you make right out of the box. It takes time and patience to get used to editing as opposed to typing.

Start out slow and don't get frustrated. Also work on your library of expanders if you don't already have this.

I can do about 500 lph on smooth patches of text, but probably average 350 to 450 lph over 8 hours when I don't goof off too much. That is at 6.5 cpl. It took me almost a year to get to this,but now I would prefer to do the VR to typing most days.

VR is the wave of the future, and I believe one of the best ways for American workers to take back doing American documents, so I embrace it!

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