Stenographer education requirements

Q: How to learn stenography.

To learn stenography, you need to choose a system, collect necessary resources, and practice. Here is more information about each of those steps: Choose a system. There are different systems of stenography and you will need to figure out which one is best for you. Some things to consider when choosing a system are how much time you have to learn the system, how fast you are wanting to be able to write, and if there is a specific standard for your profession. Collect necessary resources. Libraries and bookstores are a good place to start looking for books on learning stenography. A dictionary for your chosen system will come in very handy. Another good option for finding resources is online. A quick google search can lead you to a wide array of things like tutorials and samples. Practice. It will take lots of practice to master stenography. One of the most important things to keep in mind is to focus on mastery over speed. Your speed will increase as you get better. Make sure to practice every day, even if only for a little bit. Smaller practices every day are better than longer practices, fewer times a week.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a stenographer. Stenographers usually study business, secretarial and administrative science, or legal support services. 33% of stenographers hold a associate degree, and 32% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 662 real stenographer resumes to see exactly what stenographer education sections show.

The most common colleges for stenographers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

What education do you need to become a stenographer?

What degree do you need to be a stenographer?

The most common degree for stenographers is associate degree, with 33% of stenographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 32% and bachelor's degree degree at 17%.

Associate, 33%

Bachelor's, 32%

High School Diploma, 17%

Diploma, 10%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a stenographer?

You should major in business to become a stenographer. 37% of stenographers major in business. Other common majors for a stenographer include secretarial and administrative science and legal support services.

Business, 37%

Secretarial And Administrative Science, 13%

Legal Support Services, 7%

Accounting, 5%

Other Majors, 38%

Most common colleges for stenographers

Stenographers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Cornell University, and Syracuse University. Here are the most common colleges for stenographers in the US based on their resumes.

Stenographer common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	7.14%
Cornell University	7.14%
Syracuse University	4.76%
Central State University	4.76%
McNeese State University	4.76%

Show more common stenographer colleges

Best majors for stenographers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	36.9%
2	Secretarial And Administrative Science	13.5%
3	Legal Support Services	6.9%
4	Accounting	5.0%
5	Health Care Administration	3.5%

Show more common stenographer majors

Best colleges for stenographers

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

A 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 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 stenographers.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Maine Maritime Academy

Castine, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$13,478

Enrollment

979

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

20 best online courses for stenographers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for stenographers

The most affordable schools for stenographers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for 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 stenographers.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Cost of attendance

22,990

10. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for stenographers

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

Some great schools for 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 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

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

The easiest schools for stenographers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a 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 stenographers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

8. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average stenographer salary by education level

According to our data, stenographers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $77,566 annually. Stenographers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $72,643.

Stenographer education level	Stenographer salary
Master's Degree	$77,566
High School Diploma or Less	$52,892
Bachelor's Degree	$64,617
Doctorate Degree	$72,643
Some College/ Associate Degree	$56,240

Stenographer education FAQs

How to learn stenography.

What is the best college for Stenographers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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