How Much Do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Make?
$72,420 median per year · $78,760 average · 13,000 jobs
Half of all Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in the United States earned more than $72,420 a year in May 2025, and half earned less. That median comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
That is 42% above the $50,980 median for all US workers — roughly 1.4× the national figure. It ranks 301st of the 825 occupations with a published median.
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners salary by percentile
A single median hides the shape of the pay distribution. The table below shows what workers earn at each fifth of the distribution, from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%, in both annual and hourly terms.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,130 | $20.26 |
| 25th percentile | $53,760 | $25.85 |
| Median | $72,420 | $34.82 |
| 75th percentile | $100,780 | $48.45 |
| 90th percentile | $130,560 | $62.77 |
| Average (mean) | $78,760 | $37.86 |
What the pay range means
The distance between the 10th and 90th percentiles is the clearest signal of how much pay varies inside an occupation. Here the top decile earns 3.1× what the bottom decile earns, a spread of $88,430 a year. Occupations with a wide spread usually reward experience, certifications, location or specialty. Occupations with a narrow spread tend to pay close to a common rate.
On an hourly basis the median is $34.82. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work; part-time schedules and overtime shift the hourly-to-annual relationship, which is why the BLS publishes both.
How this occupation compares
Within arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media, the BLS group median is $62,750. This occupation sits 15% above that mark.
About 13,000 jobs are in the occupation, or 0.01% of the 155.5 million jobs covered by the survey. That scale matters: a very large occupation moves slowly, so its median is a stable benchmark rather than a snapshot of a few hires.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025. The survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and excludes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses, and some government roles.
Figures are national estimates. They describe what an occupation pays across the country as a whole, not what a particular employer, city or experience level offers. Percentiles are rounded, but no wage in the May 2025 release is top-coded: every published median and percentile is an exact figure.
Similar occupations
Roles with closely comparable median pay, mostly within arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media.
- Sound Engineering Technicians$73,130 median
- Artists and Related Workers, All Other$71,240 median
- Media and Communication Workers, All Other$73,620 median
- Music Directors and Composers$73,710 median
- Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other$70,720 median
- Public Relations Specialists$74,750 median
Common questions
How much do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners make?
The median was $72,420 a year in May 2025. The average was $78,760, above the median — the two diverge when pay is unevenly distributed across the occupation.
What do the top 10% of Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn?
The 90th percentile is $130,560 a year, or $62.77 an hour. Only 10% of workers in the occupation earn more than this.
What do entry-level Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn?
The 10th percentile is $42,130 a year, or $20.26 an hour. One in ten workers in the occupation earns less than this. The BLS does not publish a separate starting-salary series.
How much do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $34.82, with the middle half of workers earning between $25.85 and $48.45 an hour.
How many jobs are there for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners?
The BLS counts 12,870 jobs in the occupation, about 0.01% of the 155.5 million jobs covered by the survey.
Do these figures include self-employed workers?
No. The OEWS survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments. Self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses, and some government and household workers are outside the survey.
Is that above the national median?
Yes. The median of $72,420 is 42% above the $50,980 median for all US workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 national estimates. Read the methodology.