Career comparison
Court Reporter vs. Typist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Court reporters earn more at the median ($72,420 vs. $49,280), while typists usually get to work faster (A few weeks on the job of training). Court reporters create word-for-word records of court proceedings and live captions. Typists type and format documents, letters and reports.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Court Reporter | Typist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $72,420 ($34.82/hr) | $49,280 ($23.69/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $42,130 – $130,560 | $36,810 – $65,150 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -0.1% (little or no change) | -34.4% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 1,800 | 1,900 |
| Typical entry education | Postsecondary nondegree award | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 2–4 years | A few weeks on the job |
| Key credential | Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) | Microsoft Office Specialist |
| Work setting | Reporters work in courtrooms, law offices and remotely; captioners often work from home.. | Typists work in offices and sometimes remotely.. |
What each job does
Court Reporter
- Record legal proceedings word for word
- Produce official transcripts
- Read back testimony on request
- Provide live captioning
- Prepare and maintain dictionaries
Typist
- Type documents
- Format reports
- Proofread
- Transcribe recordings
- Manage templates
How they’re similar
Both careers involve desk work, working independently, and remote-friendly work. They sit in different fields, arts, media & design and business & office, but share transferable skills such as concentration and accuracy.
Which should you choose?
Choose court reporter if…
- I can concentrate for long periods
- I’m fast and accurate
- I like legal settings
Choose typist if…
- I type fast
- I spot typos
- I like formatting
Still torn? Take the Court Reporter fit quiz and the Typist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, court reporter or typist?
Court Reporters earn more at the median: $72,420 versus $49,280 for typists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Typists typically train faster (A few weeks on the job) than court reporters (2–4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects court reporters to grow -0.1% from 2025–35, compared with -34.4% for typists.