Health Professions And Related ProgramsSpecialization of Health and Medical Administrative Services

Best institutions to study Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist

CIP 51.0708

A program that prepares individuals to execute verbatim medical conference minutes, medical reports, and medical orders.

9 U.S. institutions graduated 30 Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.0708, a specialization of Health and Medical Administrative Services (CIP 51.07), and leads most directly to the Medical Transcriptionists occupation (BLS SOC 31-9094).

Institutions
9
offering CIP 51.0708
States offered
7
with graduates reported
Graduates / yr
30
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Women
97%
share of graduates
US median pay · Medical Transcriptionists
$40,410
BLS OEWS May 2025
Share of Health and Medical Administrative Services
0.0%
of all Health and Medical Administrative Services graduates

About Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist programs

Official NCES definition · CIP 51.0708
A program that prepares individuals to execute verbatim medical conference minutes, medical reports, and medical orders. Includes instruction in dictation and simultaneous recording, analysis of notes and visual evidence, medical terminology, data processing applications and skills, formal medical report and correspondence formats, professional standards, and applicable law and regulations.

See also: 22.0303 - Court Reporting and Captioning/Court Reporter., 10.0204 - Voice Writing Technology/Technician.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).

The Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist program prepares individuals to accurately transcribe medical documents, including reports and orders, from dictated audio recordings. This program falls under the broader category of Health and Medical Administrative Services, making it ideal for those interested in supporting healthcare professionals through precise documentation. Students in this program will gain essential skills for producing and editing medical reports while adhering to professional standards. This field is suited for detail-oriented individuals who possess strong listening and writing abilities, as well as a keen understanding of medical terminology and regulations.

Learn more about Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist →

What you'll learn

Core coursework includes instruction in dictation and simultaneous recording, medical terminology, data processing applications, and formal report formats. Students will also develop critical skills such as active listening, reading comprehension, and writing, which are essential for effective communication in the healthcare environment.

Credentials awarded

What Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).

  • Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year24 graduates / yr · 6 institutions
    80%
  • Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years5 graduates / yr · 2 institutions
    17%
  • Associate's degree1 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    3.3%

Graduates over time

Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.

30graduates in 2025
-97% since 2012
201220251,16530
Graduates per year (IPEDS completions)
YearGraduates
20121,165
20131,044
2014676
2015455
2016378
2017298
2018269
2019186
2020141
2021198
202283
202379
202456
202530

Top 9 institutions for Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist, ranked by graduates

Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.

#InstitutionGraduates / yrGrad rateNet priceField earnings* (1 yr)
1Bishop State Community College
Mobile, ALPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
836%—$23,386
2Spoon River College
Canton, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
642%——
3Snead State Community College
Boaz, ALPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
449%——
4Delta College
University Center, MIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years
427%—$24,800
5Rochester Community and Technical College
Rochester, MNPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
429%—$45,675
6Richland Community College
Decatur, ILPublicAssociate's
160%——
7Indiana University - Southeast
New Albany, INPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
139%——
8College of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas, NVPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years
119%——
9New River Community and Technical College
Beaver, WVPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year
136%——

* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Health and Medical Administrative Services field (CIP 51.07) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.

Offered in 7 states

Where Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist graduates come from. Each state links to all Health and Medical Administrative Services programs offered there.

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 31-9094, Medical Transcriptionists, and its national outlook.

Graduates of the Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist program typically pursue careers as medical transcriptionists. Although the job outlook indicates a decline of 4.9% with approximately 7,400 annual openings, the median wage for this occupation is $37,550. Most positions require a postsecondary nondegree award.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-4.9%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~7,400
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$37,550
typically Postsecondary nondegree award
National employment
41,550
Medical Transcriptionists
US average pay
$41,710
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$40,410
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$61,530avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$55,750avg
Portland-South Portland, ME
$54,920avg
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$54,160avg
Chico, CA
$54,060avg

Career pathways for CIP 51.0708

The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.

OccupationUS median payGrowthOpenings / yrTypical entry education
Medical Transcriptionistsprimary
SOC 31-9094
$40,410-4.9%
Decline
~7,400Postsecondary nondegree award
Preparation needed

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Related careers

Medical Transcriptionists
$41,710 avg · 41,550 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Speaking
Active Learning
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

English Language
Administrative
Computers and Electronics
Medicine and Dentistry
Customer and Personal Service
Telecommunications

Abilities that matter most

Oral Comprehension
Written Comprehension
Speech Recognition
Near Vision
Written Expression
Oral Expression

Day-to-day work activities

Working with Computers
Documenting/Recording Information
Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Processing Information
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

What graduates do on the job

  • Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
  • Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
  • Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
  • Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
  • Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
  • Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.

Tools and technology used

Allscripts healthcare automation softwareBoston Bar Systems Corporation SonnetBytescribe Development Company WavPlayerCalendar softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteCrescendo Systems Corporation MedRite-XLCrescendo Systems DigiScribe-XLDatabase software

Other Health and Medical Administrative Services specializations

The 23 other 6-digit CIP codes under Health and Medical Administrative Services (CIP 51.07).

See all Health and Medical Administrative Services programs →

Common questions

What is the duration of the Medical Transcription program?+

The program typically awards credentials in at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop skills in active listening, writing, critical thinking, and medical terminology.

What type of jobs can I get after completing this program?+

You can work as a medical transcriptionist, producing and editing medical reports.

What is the job outlook for medical transcriptionists?+

The job outlook shows a decline of 4.9%, with about 7,400 annual openings.

What is the CIP code for Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist?+

Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist is CIP 51.0708 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Health and Medical Administrative Services (CIP 51.07). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to execute verbatim medical conference minutes, medical reports, and medical orders. Includes instruction in dictation and simultaneous recording, analysis of notes and visual evidence, medical terminology, data processing applications and skills, formal medical report and correspondence formats, professional standards, and applicable law and regulations.

How many institutions offer Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist programs?+

9 U.S. institutions reported Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 7 states, awarding 30 credentials in the year. That is 0.0% of all Health and Medical Administrative Services graduates.

How much do Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist graduates earn?+

Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Medical Transcriptionists occupation, which Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist most directly leads to, pays a median of $40,410 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Health and Medical Administrative Services field report median earnings of $24,800 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).

Health and Medical Administrative Services by stateAlabamaIllinoisMichiganMinnesotaIndianaNevadaWest Virginia

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.

Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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