Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
SOC code 27-3092 · O*NET-SOC 27-3092.00 · Medium preparation needed
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$72,420
a year
Hourly
$34.82
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$78,760
$37.86 per hour
Middle 50%
$53,760 – $100,780
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$42,130 – $130,560
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
12,870
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $42,130
- $20.26/hr
- 25th percentile
- $53,760
- $25.85/hr
- Median percentile
- $72,420
- $34.82/hr
- 75th percentile
- $100,780
- $48.45/hr
- 90th percentile
- $130,560
- $62.77/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
0%
Little or no change expected
17,700
jobs in 2024
17,700
projected for 2034
About 0 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do court reporters and simultaneous captioners do?
Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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.
- Log and store exhibits from court proceedings.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 3 — Medium preparation needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a court reporters and simultaneous captioners earn?
The national median is $72,420 a year. The full range runs from $42,130 at the 10th percentile to $130,560 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a court reporters and simultaneous captioners without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 3, meaning the typical entry route is most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Is court reporters and simultaneous captioners in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 0% between 2024 and 2034 — little or no change expected. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening4.3/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Reading Comprehension3.5/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Critical Thinking2.8/5
Knowledge areas
- English Language4.9/5
- Computers and Electronics4.4/5
- Administrative4.0/5
- Law and Government4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7/5
- Telecommunications2.7/5
Transferable strengths: Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Quality Control Analysis.