Medical Transcriptionists pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,800 or more. The middle half of medical transcriptionists in San Diego earn between $41,530 and $49,380.
- $39K10th
- $42K25th
- $45KMedian
- $49K75th
- $59K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $47,390 | $3,949 | $22.78 |
| Median | $45,420 | $3,785 | $21.84 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $41,530 | $3,461 | $19.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,380 | $4,115 | $23.74 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Medical Transcriptionists pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Medical transcriptionists in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($47,770) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($41,710). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $40,410.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $47,390 | $45,420 | $39,000 | $58,800 | 710 |
| California | $47,770 | $45,050 | $35,990 | $62,620 | 5,860 |
| United States | $41,710 | $40,410 | $28,250 | $55,950 | 41,550 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Medical Transcriptionists salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $47,390, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $39,222 a year, or $3,268 a month and $1,509 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for medical transcriptionists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $47,390 buys what about $42,355 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 20.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Medical Transcriptionists salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 10th of 15 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($61,530).
- San Jose$61,530
- San Francisco$55,750
- Chico$54,060
- Santa Rosa$53,000
- Modesto$51,710
- Oxnard$49,540
- Santa Maria$49,440
- Sacramento$48,940
- Stockton$47,780
- San Diego$47,390
Highest-paying cities for medical transcriptionists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($61,530).
- San Jose, CA$61,530
- San Francisco, CA$55,750
- Portland, ME$54,920
- Minneapolis, MN$54,160
- Chico, CA$54,060
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Medical Transcriptionists salary in San Diego: questions
How much do medical transcriptionists make an hour in San Diego?
$22.79 an hour on average, and $21.84 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level medical transcriptionists salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $41,530, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the medical transcriptionists take-home pay in San Diego?
About $39,222 a year ($3,268 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $47,390. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do medical transcriptionists earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($41,710).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 31-9094; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.73, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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