Okay, so, uh—if you're a healthcare pro listening to this, you know how crazy documentation can get, right?

Like, literally spending more time staring at the EHR than actually looking at your patient.

Well, what if I told you there’s this role—virtual medical scribes—that’s kinda the admin superhero you never knew you needed?

Today, we’re talking medical scribes pay, why it matters, and how it can totally change the game.

So, you’ve heard about scribes helping to lighten the charting load, but, um, what do they actually earn?

Let’s dive into the numbers and, you know, make sense of it all.

First up, the basics: according to DocVA, the average hourly pay for a virtual medical scribe in the U.S. is about $19 per hour.

That ranges from a low near $10 to a high up to $30 per hour—that’s a pretty wide range, right?

If we look at annual figures, averages land at about $42,700 per year, which is roughly $18.26 per hour.

Entry-level scribes usually make between $12 to $20 per hour, about $20,000 to $30,000 annually.

With experience or in specialties like cardiology or ER, pay can move into the $15–$20 per hour range.

Senior or lead scribe roles can hit $20–$25+ per hour, translating to $40,000–$60,000 annually.

Like, imagine you're a pre-med student working part-time as a scribe—you might start at $12/hour.

Six months later, once you know Epic and charting flow, you could be at $18 or even $20 an hour.

That’s some legit extra spending money—or even savings for med school apps.

So, what affects those numbers? Well, location plays a big part—higher salaries in places like San Francisco or D.C.

Also, certifications like CMSS or CMSP and experience can help boost pay and career opportunities.

And here's the kicker—as a doc, a scribe could save you time and reduce that admin burnout.

Studies show hiring a scribe can boost patient-facing time by up to 57% and cut down hours on EHR.

So to recap: virtual scribes typically earn $10 to $30 an hour, averaging around $18–$19.

Experienced and certified scribes can top out at $20–$25+, or around $40k–$60k a year.

The earnings really depend on your experience, where the job is based, and certifications you hold.

Really, medical scribes pay is more than just a number—it’s about saving time and improving patient care.

So whether you're thinking of scribing for your resume—or hiring one to free up your workflow—it matters.

Thanks for hanging out with me—catch you next episode!

And hey, if you found this helpful, share it with a colleague—or drop me a line with the next topic to tackle!