What are the pros and cons of being a court reporter?

The pros and cons of being a court reporter relate to good compensation, minimal educational requirements, and poor job outlooks. Here are the top pros and cons of being a court reporter:

How To Become A Court Reporter: What It Is and Career Path

What is a court reporter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

It is fair to state that any court gathering is incomplete without a court reporter. A court reporter's job is to transcribe spoken or recorded speech into written form. Most court reporters use a stenotype (keyboard machine that records) or steno mask to produce an official transcript of court hearings, descriptions, and other proceedings. A court reporter is sometimes called a stenographer. A court reporter does not have to be a graduate of law, but they must have completed an internship in a court of law to get accustomed to legal terms. They must also have excellent writing skills.

The judicial system relies on court reporters to maintain its integrity by providing reliable trials, court hearings, and legislative meetings, which serve as judicial precedent. A court reporter must be competent, since they determine the dignity of the judicial system to a large extent.

ScoreCourt ReporterUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $76,080

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 1.40%

Black or African American 3.27%

Hispanic or Latino 5.61%

Unknown 4.44%

White 85.05%

Gender

female 80.28%

male 19.72%

Age - 55

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 55

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a court reporter

Explore court reporter education requirements

Most common court reporter degrees

Bachelor's

43.7 %

Associate

35.2 %

High School Diploma

7.7 %

Start to develop specific court reporter skills

Skills	Percentages
Transcription	12.67%
Court Proceedings	11.99%
Legal Terminology	10.12%
District Court	9.17%
Technical Terminology	4.72%

Complete relevant court reporter training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New court reporters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a court reporter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real court reporter resumes.

Research court reporter duties and responsibilities

Commission as a public notary to administer the oath.
Attend depositions or court proceedings and taking dictation verbatim; provide transcription of proceedings; coordination of exhibits for depositions
Report, proofread and produce computer transcripts of medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury and divorce litigation.
Produce official transcripts, appeals and expedite transcripts.

Prepare your court reporter resume

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