Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
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.
Also called: Captioner, Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR), Court Monitor, Court Recorder, Court Recording Monitor, Court Reporter
Median pay
$72,420
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$42,130 – $130,560
People employed
12,870
Holland code
CAS
Conventional · Artistic · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 2.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 3.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 5.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 6.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 7.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 8.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay by state
Annual median pay by state (38 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners salary in every state →
What court reporters and simultaneous captioners do
- 01Provide transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public.
- 02Record symbols on computer storage media and use computer aided transcription to translate and display them as text.
- 03Record verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks.
- 04Record depositions and other proceedings for attorneys.
- 05Ask speakers to clarify inaudible statements.
- 06Proofread transcripts for correct spelling of words.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
- Law and Government
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants69% · −23%
- Word Processors and Typists67% · −32%
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants65% · −13%
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants61% · +6%
- Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage57% · +8%
Change into court reporters and simultaneous captioners
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Word Processors and Typists78% · $49,280
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants77% · $55,570
- Medical Transcriptionists72% · $40,410
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers69% · $51,120
Majors that lead here
- Voice Writing Technology/Technician
- Court Reporting and Captioning/Court Reporter
- Court Interpreter
- Scopist
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.