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Court stenographer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a court stenographer. Court stenographers usually study legal support services, business, or secretarial and administrative science. 57% of court stenographers hold a associate degree, and 27% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 127 real court stenographer resumes to see exactly what court stenographer education sections show.

The most common colleges for court stenographers are the Lincoln and the Lincoln.

There are also many online court stenographer courses to help get the education required to be a court stenographer.

What education do you need to become a court stenographer?

What degree do you need to be a court stenographer?

The most common degree for court stenographers is associate degree, with 57% of court stenographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 5%.
  • Associate, 57%
  • Bachelor's, 27%
  • Master's, 5%
  • Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a court stenographer?

You should major in legal support services to become a court stenographer. 33% of court stenographers major in legal support services. Other common majors for a court stenographer include business and secretarial and administrative science.

Most common colleges for court stenographers

Court stenographers often get their degrees at Lincoln, Miami Dade College, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Here are the most common colleges for court stenographers in the US based on their resumes.
Court stenographer common collegePercentages
Lincoln9.09%
Miami Dade College9.09%
Indiana University of Pennsylvania9.09%
Peirce College4.55%
Champlain College4.55%

Best majors for court stenographers

Best colleges for court stenographers

The best colleges for court stenographers are University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, and Stanford University.

A court stenographer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for court stenographers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become court stenographers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

3. Maria College of Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$15,140

Enrollment

876

4. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$39,216

Enrollment

1,303

7. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

8. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for court stenographers

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1. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague

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International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...

2. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law

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The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: - The birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law. - The role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers. - Blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts. - Initiatives to ensure access to justice through...

3. Effective Legal Office Administration

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4.5
(1,067)

Effective Legal Office Administration...

4. Legal English

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4.5
(1,299)

Legal language and communication skills...

5. Clinical Trials Operations

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This specialization is designed for individuals and teams that will be running or interacting with clinical trials. In four courses, learners will develop insights and build the skills they need to design, manage, and monitor clinical trials as well as analyze, document, and communicate the results. Learners will also learn best practices regarding ethics, safety, participant recruitment, regulatory compliance, and reporting standards. The core principles and skills of the specialization will...

6. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

7. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

8. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary

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An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...

9. Clinical Trials Analysis, Monitoring, and Presentation

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In this course, you’ll learn more advanced operational skills that you and your team need to run a successful clinical trial. You’ll learn about the computation of sample size and how to develop a sample size calculation that’s suitable for your trial design and outcome measures. You’ll also learn to use statistical methods to monitor your trial for safety, integrity, and efficacy. Next, you’ll learn how to report the results from your clinical trials through both journal articles and data...

10. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...

11. Legal Writing Master Class

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4.5
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Learn with lawyers by learning the correct use of prepositions and articles, drafting contracts and writing letters...

12. English for Business and Law - Contract Law

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(552)

An English language course for business and law...

13. Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

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In this course, you’ll learn how to design and carry out clinical trials. Each design choice has implications for the quality and validity of your results. This course provides you and your team with essential skills to evaluate options, make good design choices, and implement them within your trial. You’ll learn to control for bias, randomize participants, mask treatments and outcomes, identify errors, develop and test hypotheses, and define appropriate outcomes. Finally, a trial without...

14. Cross-border road transport in EU law context

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Have you ever wondered which legal rules are applicable to cross-border EU road transport? Are you interested in the issues revolving around EU employment law in the international road transport sector? Then, on behalf of the University of Antwerp, Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Gdańsk, University of Luxembourg and Tilburg University, we would like to welcome you to this MOOC on Cross-border Road Transport in EU law context. This MOOC is a part of the Erasmus + Project funded by...

15. Legal English Language Certificate (LELC) Level 1 - CPD

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Learn from Lawyers - Learn the CORRECT use of articles, prepositions, legal terms & start writing your letter!...

16. Law: A Comprehensive Summary for LLB Students

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An essential 24 hours of Video Lectures, Spider Graphs and Case Summaries made to guide LLB students preparing for exams...

17. Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases

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This course offers an introduction to the U.S. Constitution and landmark Supreme Court cases interpreting it. It explores the Constitution’s origins, its amendment over the years, and methods of constitutional interpretation. Topics include the nature and structure of the federal government, the powers of the federal government, and individual rights...

18. Patents & Trademarks: Learn the Patent and Trademark Process

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2 courses in 1. Learn the process for patenting your idea, invention and how to trademark you brand...

19. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

20. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

Top 10 most affordable universities for court stenographers

The most affordable schools for court stenographers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for court stenographers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for court stenographers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for court stenographers

The hardest universities for court stenographers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for court stenographers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for court stenographers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for court stenographers

The easiest schools for court stenographers to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a court stenographer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for court stenographers.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

7. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

9. Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,102

10. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,059

Average court stenographer salary by education level

Court stenographers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $99,453 annually. With a Master's degree, court stenographers earn a median annual income of $88,240 compared to $69,203 for court stenographers with an Bachelor's degree.
Court stenographer education levelCourt stenographer salary
Master's Degree$88,240
High School Diploma or Less$54,263
Bachelor's Degree$69,203
Doctorate Degree$99,453
Some College/ Associate Degree$62,385

Court stenographer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.