Court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,130 | $20.26 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $72,420 | $34.82 |
| Mean (average) | $78,760 | $37.86 |
| 90th percentile | $130,560 | $62.77 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Court reporters and simultaneous captioners pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 42 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $67,340 | $37,700 | $84,270 | 350 | 1.98 |
| Arizona | $77,770 | $61,510 | $90,020 | 70 | 0.27 |
| Arkansas | $59,180 | $53,200 | $80,090 | 130 | 1.2 |
| California | $116,020 | $55,280 | $142,930 | 1,400 | 0.93 |
| Colorado | $83,010 | $65,960 | $110,700 | 260 | 1.11 |
| Connecticut | $59,390 | $43,370 | $74,680 | 210 | 1.5 |
| Delaware | $44,760 | $40,350 | $86,130 | 40 | 0.9 |
| Florida | $49,240 | $35,320 | $81,370 | 1,110 | 1.35 |
| Georgia | Data unavailable | 410 | 1.01 | ||
| Idaho | $69,330 | $66,290 | $75,460 | 40 | 0.58 |
| Illinois | $75,890 | $31,200 | $122,390 | 770 | 1.52 |
| Indiana | $54,740 | $42,740 | $77,320 | 890 | 3.37 |
| Iowa | $93,810 | $63,560 | $104,490 | 160 | 1.27 |
| Kansas | Data unavailable | 180 | 1.47 | ||
| Kentucky | $50,350 | $29,610 | $50,350 | 80 | 0.46 |
| Louisiana | $63,380 | $26,650 | $97,360 | 270 | 1.7 |
| Maine | $49,110 | $48,370 | $89,670 | 30 | 0.6 |
| Maryland | $59,300 | $41,620 | $90,360 | ||
| Massachusetts | $79,940 | $46,080 | $91,350 | 50 | 0.17 |
| Michigan | $61,600 | $41,040 | $79,780 | 260 | 0.72 |
| Minnesota | $83,680 | $64,150 | $97,410 | 320 | 1.32 |
| Mississippi | $67,300 | $47,720 | $75,000 | 40 | 0.38 |
| Missouri | $72,500 | $56,000 | $97,480 | 270 | 1.09 |
| Montana | $62,730 | $50,870 | $78,890 | 50 | 1.22 |
| Nebraska | $76,480 | $60,910 | $87,080 | 60 | 0.73 |
| Nevada | $62,030 | $46,750 | $78,430 | 70 | 0.56 |
| New Jersey | Data unavailable | 200 | 0.57 | ||
| New York | $101,990 | $60,360 | $143,790 | 1,400 | 1.75 |
| North Carolina | $73,510 | $57,910 | $91,710 | 110 | 0.27 |
| North Dakota | $70,540 | $56,030 | $81,130 | 60 | 1.73 |
| Ohio | $67,330 | $49,750 | $94,740 | 340 | 0.73 |
| Oklahoma | $60,800 | $53,000 | $68,000 | 180 | 1.29 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,100 | $40,130 | $90,330 | 670 | 1.33 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,300 | $32,830 | $38,490 | 110 | 1.42 |
| Rhode Island | $92,250 | $61,670 | $107,310 | 60 | 1.56 |
| South Carolina | $61,100 | $45,190 | $76,300 | 140 | 0.73 |
| South Dakota | $75,210 | $63,610 | $78,960 | 40 | 0.92 |
| Texas | $110,080 | $54,520 | $137,410 | 1,270 | 1.09 |
| Virginia | $55,210 | $37,840 | $78,360 | 320 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $107,670 | $82,220 | $113,880 | 80 | 0.27 |
| West Virginia | $56,790 | $44,550 | $70,890 | 90 | 1.52 |
| Wisconsin | $65,640 | $38,560 | $121,260 | 60 | 0.23 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 33.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Voice Writing Technology/Technician CIP 10.0204
- Court Reporting and Captioning/Court Reporter CIP 22.0303
- Court Interpreter CIP 22.0304
- Scopist CIP 22.0305
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
- Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
- Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
- Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.
- Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
- Proofread transcripts for correct spelling of words.
- File a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk's office.
- Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Acclaim Legal Acclaim DepoManage
- Acculaw Court Reporters Billing Scheduling Job Management System ABSMS
- Advantage Software Total Eclipse
- AudioScribe SpeechCAT
- Chase Software Solutions Court Reporting Software
- Cheetah International SmartCAT
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Courtpages
- Courtroom Data Solutions Techlennium
- Electronic Transcript Software ProTEXT
- Equative TimeLedger
- ForTheRecord TheRecord Player
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Quality Control Analysis, Complex Problem Solving, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Captioner, Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR), Court Recorder, Court Reporter, Court Stenographer, Deposition Reporter, Digital Court Reporter, Official Court Reporter, Realtime Court Reporter, Stenographer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do court reporters and simultaneous captioners make?
The national median annual wage for court reporters and simultaneous captioners was $72,420 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,130 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $130,560. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do court reporters and simultaneous captioners need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is court reporters and simultaneous captioners a growing career?
BLS projects employment of court reporters and simultaneous captioners to change -0.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay court reporters and simultaneous captioners the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($116,020), Texas ($110,080), Washington ($107,670). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.