Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Court Reporters
Court Reporters 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.
Table of contents
What they do
Court Reporters 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.
- Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
- Take notes in shorthand or use a stenotype or shorthand machine that prints letters on a paper tape.
- Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer-aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
- Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Court Reporters file and store shorthand notes of court sessions. They transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
A typical day for a Court Reporter will also include:
- Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer-aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
- Take notes in shorthand or use a stenotype or shorthand machine that prints letters on a paper tape.
- Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.
- Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
- Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Court Reporters also provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public. They may also file a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk’s office.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Court Reporters respond to requests during court sessions to read portions of the proceedings already recorded. They might also ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
In addition, they verify the accuracy of transcripts by checking copies against original records of proceedings and accuracy of rulings by checking with judges.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.
To some Court Reporters, it is also their responsibility to record symbols on computer storage media and use computer-aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
72% said they were satisfied with their job and 47% said they found their job meaningful.
I was a court reporter for several years largely covering murder trials for major news organizations. It is a great job – interesting with lots of variety and no day is like any other. The main skills you need are great comprehension, intelligence, judgement, and the ability to write good, clear, and interesting copy very fast in order to meet deadlines.
Shorthand is also an asset as it helps you record comments precisely at speed and many courts bar the use of recording devices during hearings and trials. Having a basic knowledge of the law surrounding contempt of court and what is subjudice is really useful too as is an ability to relate to prosecutors, attorneys, and police to get intel on which cases to cover and to clarify details while a case is in progress.
Pros
Suitable for people who like to follow routines.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Demand for this career is growing fast.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Court Reporters with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $32,610 to $40,420 per year or $16 to $19 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $90,080 | $43 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $68,000 | $33 |
| Median | $52,960 | $25 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $40,420 | $19 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $32,610 | $16 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Court Reporters based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $107050 | $51.47 |
| State Government | $74520 | $35.83 |
| Local Government | $70020 | $33.66 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $63340 | $30.45 |
| Junior Colleges | $60080 | $28.89 |
| Business Support Services | $52280 | $25.13 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Court Reporters work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Court Reporters including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government | 4700 | $70020 | $33.66 |
| Business Support Services | 4300 | $52280 | $25.13 |
| State Government | 4140 | $74520 | $35.83 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 390 | $107050 | $51.47 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 40 | $63340 | $30.45 |
| Junior Colleges | 30 | $60080 | $28.89 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Court Reporting and Captioning/Court Reporter
Court Interpreter
Scopist
Voice Writing Technology
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk-taking and often deal with business.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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