Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Some court reporters provide captioning for television and real-time translation for deaf or hard-of-hearing people at public events, in business meetings, or in classrooms.

Most court reporters work for state or local government in courts or legislatures. However, some work from either their home or a central office providing broadcast captioning for television stations or for hard-of-hearing individuals.

Many community colleges and technical institutes offer postsecondary certificate programs for court reporters. Many states require court reporters who work in legal settings to be licensed by a state or certified by a professional association.

The median annual wage for court reporters was $49,500 in May 2015.

Employment of court reporters is projected to grow 2 percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations. Those with experience and training in techniques for helping deaf or hard-of-hearing people, such as real-time captioning and Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART), will have the best job prospects.

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for court reporters.

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of court reporters with similar occupations.

Learn more about court reporters by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.