Originally Posted by mg virtual office solutions

For those of you who offer transcription services, I am wondering how you bill: per hour, per project, per page, per line or per word. Also how do you deterime the amount of time it takes to transcribe an audio file or tape. Is it based on number of speakers, length of recording, quality of recording, etc. I have seen a couple of formulas: (1) 30 minutes of audio in one hour or (2) 4 to 5 times the length of tape.

30 minutes of audio in one hour? Either someone types 200 words a minute, there are a whole lot of pauses, or someone's stretching the truth!

I do a LOT of transcription. For a long time, it made up 90% of what I did for income.

I'm a fast typist, averaging between 90 and 100 words a minute, though I've been tested at over 120 words a minute. With clear audio, good speakers, no one trying to overtalk someone else, I can do 3 to 1. But that's like the absolute perfect, dream audio, and those are rare.

Usually, it's 3.5 or 4 to 1. And if the audio is bad? 5 or 6 to 1.

Because of that, I charge by audio minute for all transcription work. I do offer a transcription retainer package, which is for clear audio, 2 hour chunks, at a 10% discount.

The way I figured my rate was this:

First, how much per hour of work do I want to make?
Multiply that by 4. Average transcription is 4 hours work for 1 hour of audio. That gives my rate per hour of audio. But most transcription work that I do isn't that long, and people want it broken down even more.
So divide that number by 60, and that is your BASE rate per audio minute.

I say base, because if they have crappy audio that is going to be difficult to transcribe, you are going to want to charge more, because it's going to take you longer to do.

I have three levels.

The BASE rate applies to clear audio, no more than two speakers, easy to understand. Because I'm good with accents, as long as the person's accent isn't too thick, they get the base rate.

Level two audio gets a .25 per audio minute surcharge. That's audio with more than two speakers, or speakers with thicker accents.

Level three audio gets a .50 per audio minute surcharge. That's audio with severe quality problems, focus groups, or a lot of people trying to talk over one another. I hate doing them, so I charge more for them LOL

It's all about how much time it takes you to do the work, and getting a fair hourly wage. I've seen transcriptionists charge .25 to .50 per audio minute, and wonder how they are surviving! That works out to 3.25 to 7.50 an hour! Minimum wage in my state is $7.40 an hour, and I think transcription deserves far more than that! It's a skill, and not everyone can do it. I've seen people who can type 100 words or more not be able to do it, because it's far more than just typing! Skilled work deserves more than scraping by wages.