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Best states for an official court reporter
Quoted expert
Dr. Ronald Sitton Ph.D.
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Do you want to become an official court reporter at United States Courts, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for official court reporters that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Although there are abundant official court reporter jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Alaska is the best state in the country for official court reporter jobs.
The median salary for official court reporters in Alaska is $96,650. Compare that to the median salary in Indiana of $57,783, which ranked worst for official court reporters, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for official court reporters, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for official court reporter jobs, where as Alaska is the best state in the country.
10 best states for official court reporters in 2025
1. Alaska
Total official court reporter jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $96,650 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 1.862. New York
Total official court reporter jobs: 82 Average annual salary: $90,969 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 1.983. Iowa
Total official court reporter jobs: 37 Average annual salary: $78,630 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 3.164. Rhode Island
Total official court reporter jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $83,187 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.285. California
Total official court reporter jobs: 119 Average annual salary: $88,790 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location Quotient: 1.266. District of Columbia
Total official court reporter jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $88,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location Quotient: 3.147. New Jersey
Total official court reporter jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $96,054 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location Quotient: 0.518. Nevada
Total official court reporter jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $83,084 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location Quotient: 0.749. Massachusetts
Total official court reporter jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $81,680 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location Quotient: 1.0810. Connecticut
Total official court reporter jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $83,710 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
Official court reporter jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an official court reporter
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an official court reporter
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $96,650 | $60,000 | 739,795 | 5 |
| 2 | New York | $90,969 | $53,000 | 19,849,399 | 82 |
| 3 | Iowa | $78,630 | $46,000 | 3,145,711 | 37 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $83,187 | $47,000 | 1,059,639 | 5 |
| 5 | California | $88,790 | $53,000 | 39,536,653 | 119 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $88,176 | $52,000 | 693,972 | 17 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $96,054 | $56,000 | 9,005,644 | 13 |
| 8 | Nevada | $83,084 | $49,000 | 2,998,039 | 5 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $81,680 | $46,000 | 6,859,819 | 32 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $83,710 | $48,000 | 3,588,184 | 8 |
| 11 | Illinois | $82,526 | $49,000 | 12,802,023 | 28 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $71,725 | $42,000 | 1,815,857 | 6 |
| 13 | Kansas | $75,299 | $44,000 | 2,913,123 | 10 |
| 14 | Delaware | $83,213 | $48,000 | 961,939 | 2 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $79,472 | $45,000 | 1,342,795 | 3 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $70,781 | $42,000 | 755,393 | 4 |
| 17 | Ohio | $75,338 | $44,000 | 11,658,609 | 14 |
| 18 | Maryland | $81,782 | $48,000 | 6,052,177 | 15 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $72,807 | $42,000 | 12,805,537 | 21 |
| 20 | Michigan | $70,721 | $41,000 | 9,962,311 | 22 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $70,521 | $41,000 | 4,684,333 | 10 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $70,611 | $41,000 | 2,088,070 | 6 |
| 23 | Vermont | $75,864 | $42,000 | 623,657 | 1 |
| 24 | Arizona | $70,629 | $42,000 | 7,016,270 | 15 |
| 25 | Utah | $71,529 | $41,000 | 3,101,833 | 6 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $67,179 | $39,000 | 1,920,076 | 13 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $69,555 | $41,000 | 2,984,100 | 4 |
| 28 | Washington | $71,711 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 19 |
| 29 | Virginia | $70,074 | $41,000 | 8,470,020 | 32 |
| 30 | Missouri | $68,075 | $40,000 | 6,113,532 | 24 |
| 31 | Montana | $66,128 | $38,000 | 1,050,493 | 14 |
| 32 | Oregon | $70,302 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 10 |
| 33 | Texas | $67,833 | $39,000 | 28,304,596 | 77 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $59,202 | $43,000 | 1,427,538 | 18 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $69,258 | $40,000 | 5,024,369 | 10 |
| 36 | Maine | $69,458 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 0 |
| 37 | Idaho | $61,554 | $35,000 | 1,716,943 | 10 |
| 38 | Colorado | $66,275 | $39,000 | 5,607,154 | 19 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $66,677 | $39,000 | 869,666 | 1 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $62,673 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 29 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $66,358 | $39,000 | 4,454,189 | 5 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $62,359 | $37,000 | 3,930,864 | 10 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $64,236 | $38,000 | 10,273,419 | 18 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $58,495 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 24 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $56,552 | $33,000 | 579,315 | 6 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $63,087 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 5 |
| 47 | Alabama | $59,511 | $35,000 | 4,874,747 | 11 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $62,069 | $36,000 | 3,004,279 | 4 |
| 49 | Georgia | $63,051 | $37,000 | 10,429,379 | 14 |
| 50 | Florida | $57,228 | $33,000 | 20,984,400 | 47 |
| 51 | Indiana | $57,783 | $34,000 | 6,666,818 | 11 |
Highest paying states for official court reporters
| Rank | State | Avg. Official Court Reporter Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $96,650 |
| 2 | New York | $90,969 |
| 3 | Iowa | $78,630 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $83,187 |
| 5 | California | $88,790 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $88,176 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $96,054 |
| 8 | Nevada | $83,084 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $81,680 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $83,710 |
| 11 | Illinois | $82,526 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $71,725 |
| 13 | Kansas | $75,299 |
| 14 | Delaware | $83,213 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $79,472 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $70,781 |
| 17 | Ohio | $75,338 |
| 18 | Maryland | $81,782 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $72,807 |
| 20 | Michigan | $70,721 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $70,521 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $70,611 |
| 23 | Vermont | $75,864 |
| 24 | Arizona | $70,629 |
| 25 | Utah | $71,529 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $67,179 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $69,555 |
| 28 | Washington | $71,711 |
| 29 | Virginia | $70,074 |
| 30 | Missouri | $68,075 |
| 31 | Montana | $66,128 |
| 32 | Oregon | $70,302 |
| 33 | Texas | $67,833 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $59,202 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $69,258 |
| 36 | Maine | $69,458 |
| 37 | Idaho | $61,554 |
| 38 | Colorado | $66,275 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $66,677 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $62,673 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $66,358 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $62,359 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $64,236 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $58,495 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $56,552 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $63,087 |
| 47 | Alabama | $59,511 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $62,069 |
| 49 | Georgia | $63,051 |
| 50 | Florida | $57,228 |
| 51 | Indiana | $57,783 |
Expert opinions on the best states for official court reporters
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for official court reporters to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ronald Sitton Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Arkansas State University
With corporate media continuing to downsize and local media disappearing, some may find it difficult to suggest ANY good places to find work. However, opportunities now exist that haven't existed in a century. Where once one had to own a press in order to publish, now the internet provides a press to almost anyone. This will give entrepreneurs the opportunity to make their own jobs covering a niche, such as focusing on city government in cities and towns that no longer have a traditional outlet. The idea, "Build it and they will come", actually works here - i.e., if journalists can professionally and adequately cover traditional news where no coverage exists anymore, citizens will notice and attend to the outlet to stay informed on local occurrences. We've seen this in a few different places in Arkansas where entrepreneurs saw a need and started their own outlet; the advertisers soon followed as the outlets provided the only area for miles around for their target audience of local customers.
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Updated January 8, 2025