Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$42,130
- 25th Percentile — Junior$53,760
- 50th Percentile — Median$72,420
- 75th Percentile — Senior$100,780
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$130,560
The top 10% of Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn $130,560 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $42,130, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $122,078 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $119,715 | +52.0% |
| California | $108,890 | +38.3% |
| Texas | $104,730 | +33.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $103,963 | +32.0% |
| New York | $101,280 | +28.6% |
| Washington | $101,110 | +28.4% |
| New Jersey (est.) | $100,813 | +28.0% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $89,786 | +14.0% |
| Iowa | $89,730 | +13.9% |
| Oregon (est.) | $88,211 | +12.0% |
| Colorado | $86,320 | +9.6% |
| Vermont (est.) | $85,061 | +8.0% |
| Rhode Island | $84,160 | +6.9% |
| Minnesota | $81,290 | +3.2% |
| Utah (est.) | $78,760 | +0.0% |
| North Carolina | $76,250 | -3.2% |
| Arizona | $75,720 | -3.9% |
| Nebraska | $75,450 | -4.2% |
| Wisconsin | $74,700 | -5.2% |
| Massachusetts | $73,870 | -6.2% |
| South Dakota | $73,500 | -6.7% |
| Illinois | $73,260 | -7.0% |
| Georgia (est.) | $73,247 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $73,247 | -7.0% |
| Ohio | $70,870 | -10.0% |
| North Dakota | $70,670 | -10.3% |
| Missouri | $70,580 | -10.4% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $69,309 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $69,309 | -12.0% |
| Idaho | $68,500 | -13.0% |
| Kansas (est.) | $66,946 | -15.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $66,630 | -15.4% |
| Nevada | $64,810 | -17.7% |
| Mississippi | $64,730 | -17.8% |
| Montana | $64,270 | -18.4% |
| Alabama | $63,580 | -19.3% |
| Louisiana | $62,300 | -20.9% |
| Arkansas | $62,140 | -21.1% |
| Maryland | $61,460 | -22.0% |
| South Carolina | $61,460 | -22.0% |
| Connecticut | $61,410 | -22.0% |
| Oklahoma | $60,520 | -23.2% |
| Michigan | $60,050 | -23.8% |
| Indiana | $59,850 | -24.0% |
| Delaware | $59,760 | -24.1% |
| West Virginia | $59,610 | -24.3% |
| Virginia | $58,050 | -26.3% |
| Florida | $56,850 | -27.8% |
| Maine | $55,950 | -29.0% |
| Kentucky | $43,840 | -44.3% |
What Factors Affect Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $108,890, while Kentucky pays $43,840 — a gap of $65,050 per year.
The middle half of Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn between $53,760 and $100,780 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $42,130, while the top 10% earn more than $130,560.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +28.8% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners?
The average salary for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in the United States is $78,760 per year, with a median of $72,420.
What is the starting salary for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners?
Entry-level Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners typically earn between $42,130 and $53,760 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners the most?
California pays Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners the most at $108,890 per year on average, followed by Texas ($104,730) and New York ($101,280).
How much do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $78,760, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn approximately $37.87 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 12,870 Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $78,760 and a median of $72,420 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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