Salary guide
Court Reporter Salary & Pay Scale (2026)
What court reporters earn per year, per hour and per month, with the full percentile range, the factors that move pay and how to earn more.
The median court reporter salary in the U.S. is $72,420 per year, or $34.82 per hour, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $42,130, while the top 10% earned more than $130,560.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
Court Reporter pay scale
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly* | What it usually reflects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,130 | $20.25 | Typical for new workers, part-time markets and lower-paying settings |
| 25th percentile | $53,760 | $25.85 | Early career, a year or two of experience |
| Median (50th) | $72,420 | $34.82 | Mid-career: half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $100,780 | $48.45 | Experienced workers, specialists and higher-paying employers |
| 90th percentile | $130,560 | $62.77 | Top earners: senior, specialized, supervisory or high-cost areas |
*Hourly figures are annual wages divided by 2,080 hours. Percentile descriptions are general patterns, not guarantees.
Monthly and biweekly pay
| Pay period | At 25th percentile | At median | At 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per year | $53,760 | $72,420 | $100,780 |
| Per month | $4,480 | $6,035 | $8,398 |
| Every two weeks | $2,068 | $2,785 | $3,876 |
| Per week | $1,034 | $1,393 | $1,938 |
Gross pay before taxes and deductions.
What affects court reporter pay
- Portfolio strength and client list
- Industry (advertising, film, tech and corporate roles often pay more)
- Freelance rates versus salaried positions
- Software skills such as Adobe Creative Cloud, DaVinci Resolve or Pro Tools
- Geography and cost of living: metropolitan areas and some states pay well above the national median
How to earn more as a court reporter
- Get credentialed: Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR), Certified Broadcast Captioner (CBC).
- Build specialty experience: Record proceedings.
- Move up: roles such as realtime reporter or captioner and agency owner or official reporter typically pay more.
- Negotiate: research local pay and use our salary negotiation guide.
Court Reporter pay vs. related careers
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of court reporters to change by -0.1% from 2025–35, little or no change compared with the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,800 openings are projected each year, on average, including openings to replace workers who retire or change occupations.
About this data
Figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025), which covers wage and salary workers nationwide under SOC code 27-3092 (“Court reporters and simultaneous captioners”). Wages exclude self-employment income, overtime and most bonuses unless they are part of regular pay. We refresh these numbers when BLS releases new estimates each spring.
Court Reporter salary FAQ
How much does a court reporter make per hour?
The median hourly wage for court reporters was $34.82 in May 2025 (BLS). Hourly pay for the lowest 10% was about $20.25 and the top 10% earned about $62.77 or more.
How much does a court reporter make a month?
At the median annual wage of $72,420, that works out to about $6,035 per month before taxes, or about $2,785 every two weeks.
What is the starting salary for a court reporter?
New court reporters often start near the lower end of the range. The 10th percentile was $42,130 and the 25th percentile was $53,760 per year in May 2025. Starting pay depends on location, employer and credentials.
How can court reporters earn more?
Common ways include earning Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) and Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR), gaining specialty experience, taking shifts or roles with premium pay, and moving up the career ladder to roles such as realtime reporter or captioner.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 27-3092 (Court reporters and simultaneous captioners).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025–35).
- O*NET OnLine summary for Court reporters and simultaneous captioners (U.S. Department of Labor).
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.