27 Series · SOC 27-3092
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $72,420
- Median / year
- +7.6%
- 2024→2025
- $130,560
- Top 10% earn
- -0.3%
- Growth '24–'34
- 12,870
- Estimated US jobs
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn a median of $72,420 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $72,420, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $42,130 (10th percentile) to $130,560 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 12,870 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($116,020).
The pay verdict
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn a median of $72,420, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 64% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #16 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.3% by 2034.
- $72,420
- Median annual wage
- Top 36%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #16 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 3.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $116,020. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners moved from $60,130 in May 2019 to $72,420 in May 2025 (+20.4%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners sits -4.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners (SOC 27-3092) has a national median of $72,420 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $42,130 to $130,560, and the published mean is $78,760. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 12,870 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 39 state or territory areas and 76 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $67,310 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $72,420 in May 2025, a rise of $5,110 (+7.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,700 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $116,020, which is +60% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $143,170. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$72,420
per year
Median Hourly
$34.82/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$78,760
average
Employment
12,870
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$72,420 Top 36% higher than 64% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 (this entry) | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$72,420 · 64th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Public Relations Spe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.8%, Median annual wage $74750
- Coaches and Scouts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $47320
- Graphic Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $62960
- Merchandise Displaye…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $39390
- Producers and Direct…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $90360
- Editors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $77920
- Interior Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $67190
- Audio and Video Tech…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58100
- Art Directors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $114850
- Interpreters and Tra…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $60170
- Photographers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $44660
- Writers and Authors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $76910
- Technical Writers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.9%, Median annual wage $90390
- Floral Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.9%, Median annual wage $37360
- News Analysts, Repor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.9%, Median annual wage $62200
- Commercial and Indus…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $83910
- Film and Video Editors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $75420
- Camera Operators, Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74990
- Fashion Designers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $80960
- Broadcast Announcers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.5%, Median annual wage $47340
- Broadcast Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.8%, Median annual wage $59570
- Special Effects Arti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $102030
- Media and Communicat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $73620
- Umpires, Referees, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $40710
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.3%, Median annual wage $72420
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-0.3%
Declining
Annual Openings
1,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
- ▸ Proofread transcripts for correct spelling of words.
- ▸ Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
- ▸ Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats.
- ▸ Log and store exhibits from court proceedings.
- ▸ File and store shorthand notes of court session.
- ▸ File a legible transcript of records of a court case with the court clerk's office.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay history, 2019–2025
Published national median across 7 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $60,130 |
| 2020 | $61,660 |
| 2021 | $60,380 |
| 2022 | $63,560 |
| 2023 | $63,940 |
| 2024 | $67,310 |
| 2025 | $72,420 |
2019 median
$60,130
2025 median
$72,420
2019–2025 change
+$12,290 (+20.4%)
Avg/year
+3.1%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2019 | $60,130 | First banked release | 14,530 |
| May 2020 | $61,660 | +2.5% | 13,880 |
| May 2021 | $60,380 | -2.1% | 12,300 |
| May 2022 | $63,560 | +5.3% | 14,240 |
| May 2023 | $63,940 | +0.6% | 12,390 |
| May 2024 | $67,310 | +5.3% | 12,630 |
| May 2025 | $72,420 | +7.6% | 12,870 |
Across the 7 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $60,130 in May 2019 to $72,420 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.1% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 14,530 in May 2019 to 12,870 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 39 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $116,020 | +60% above national |
| 2 | Texas | $110,080 | +52% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $107,670 | +49% above national |
| 4 | New York | $101,990 | +41% above national |
| 5 | Iowa | $93,810 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $92,250 | +27% above national |
| 7 | Minnesota | $83,680 | +16% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $83,010 | +15% above national |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $79,940 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Arizona | $77,770 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Nebraska | $76,480 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Illinois | $75,890 | +5% above national |
| 13 | South Dakota | $75,210 | +4% above national |
| 14 | North Carolina | $73,510 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Missouri | $72,500 | same as national |
| 16 | North Dakota | $70,540 | 3% below national |
| 17 | Idaho | $69,330 | 4% below national |
| 18 | Alabama | $67,340 | 7% below national |
| 19 | Ohio | $67,330 | 7% below national |
| 20 | Mississippi | $67,300 | 7% below national |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $65,640 | 9% below national |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $65,100 | 10% below national |
| 23 | Louisiana | $63,380 | 12% below national |
| 24 | Montana | $62,730 | 13% below national |
| 25 | Nevada | $62,030 | 14% below national |
| 26 | Michigan | $61,600 | 15% below national |
| 27 | South Carolina | $61,100 | 16% below national |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $60,800 | 16% below national |
| 29 | Connecticut | $59,390 | 18% below national |
| 30 | Maryland | $59,300 | 18% below national |
| 31 | Arkansas | $59,180 | 18% below national |
| 32 | West Virginia | $56,790 | 22% below national |
| 33 | Virginia | $55,210 | 24% below national |
| 34 | Indiana | $54,740 | 24% below national |
| 35 | Kentucky | $50,350 | 30% below national |
| 36 | Florida | $49,240 | 32% below national |
| 37 | Maine | $49,110 | 32% below national |
| 38 | Delaware | $44,760 | 38% below national |
| 39 | Puerto Rico | $38,300 | 47% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 67 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $143,170 | +98% above national |
| 2 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $138,340 | +91% above national |
| 3 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $133,900 | +85% above national |
| 4 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $130,730 | +81% above national |
| 5 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $129,380 | +79% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,270 | +79% above national |
| 7 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $125,970 | +74% above national |
| 8 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $123,900 | +71% above national |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $123,230 | +70% above national |
| 10 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $118,200 | +63% above national |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $113,200 | +56% above national |
| 12 | Visalia, CA | $108,790 | +50% above national |
| 13 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $108,230 | +49% above national |
| 14 | El Paso, TX | $106,010 | +46% above national |
| 15 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $102,900 | +42% above national |
| 16 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $99,620 | +38% above national |
| 17 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $92,250 | +27% above national |
| 18 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,230 | +25% above national |
| 19 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $86,900 | +20% above national |
| 20 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $86,510 | +19% above national |
| 21 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $85,690 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $83,000 | +15% above national |
| 23 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $82,040 | +13% above national |
| 24 | Fargo, ND-MN | $80,720 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Mobile, AL | $80,110 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $80,000 | +10% above national |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO | $79,100 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Omaha, NE-IA | $77,900 | +8% above national |
| 29 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $76,790 | +6% above national |
| 30 | Birmingham, AL | $76,560 | +6% above national |
| 31 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $76,310 | +5% above national |
| 32 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $75,980 | +5% above national |
| 33 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $74,760 | +3% above national |
| 34 | Baton Rouge, LA | $74,630 | +3% above national |
| 35 | Boise City, ID | $69,330 | 4% below national |
| 36 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $69,100 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Columbus, OH | $67,330 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Wichita, KS | $67,200 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Cleveland, OH | $66,220 | 9% below national |
| 40 | Fort Wayne, IN | $66,160 | 9% below national |
| 41 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $65,850 | 9% below national |
| 42 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $65,000 | 10% below national |
| 43 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $64,230 | 11% below national |
| 44 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $63,970 | 12% below national |
| 45 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,840 | 12% below national |
| 46 | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,480 | 12% below national |
| 47 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $63,050 | 13% below national |
| 48 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $62,030 | 14% below national |
| 49 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $61,470 | 15% below national |
| 50 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,390 | 15% below national |
| 51 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $60,640 | 16% below national |
| 52 | Columbia, SC | $60,380 | 17% below national |
| 53 | Bloomington, IN | $60,340 | 17% below national |
| 54 | Evansville, IN | $59,740 | 18% below national |
| 55 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $57,470 | 21% below national |
| 56 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $55,700 | 23% below national |
| 57 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $55,210 | 24% below national |
| 58 | Terre Haute, IN | $54,740 | 24% below national |
| 59 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $51,880 | 28% below national |
| 60 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $50,720 | 30% below national |
| 61 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $50,560 | 30% below national |
| 62 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $49,370 | 32% below national |
| 63 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $48,430 | 33% below national |
| 64 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $47,170 | 35% below national |
| 65 | Jacksonville, FL | $46,240 | 36% below national |
| 66 | Montgomery, AL | $42,130 | 42% below national |
| 67 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $38,300 | 47% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 27 (Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Actors
SOC 27-2011
Art Directors
SOC 27-1011
Artists and Related Workers, All Other
SOC 27-1019
Athletes and Sports Competitors
SOC 27-2021
Audio and Video Technicians
SOC 27-4011
Showing 5 of 40 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($72,420 here) and reported employment (12,870 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners make? ▼
Where does Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners the most? ▼
What education do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners? ▼
Is Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners a good career? ▼
How does Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $100,780/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $116,020/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.