Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner Salary
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn a median $72,420 a year nationally. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
U.S. median
$72,420
$34.82 per hour
Range
$42,130 – $130,560
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
12,870
across the U.S.
Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$59,777
per year · effective tax rate 17.5%
$4,981Monthly
$2,491Twice a month
$2,299Every 2 weeks
$28.74Hourly
- Federal income tax$7,102
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,490
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,050
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$59,777
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,130 | $20.25 | $36,031 |
| 25th percentile | $53,760 | $25.85 | $45,376 |
| Median (50th) | $72,420 | $34.82 | $59,777 |
| 75th percentile | $100,780 | $48.45 | $79,729 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $130,560 | $62.77 | $100,504 |
Best cities for court reporters and simultaneous captioners (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $90,230 | $68,023 | $60,431 | 1,060 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $76,790 | $59,195 | $57,141 | 510 |
| 3 | Miami, FL | $48,430 | $41,094 | $35,998 | 440 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- New York, NY — $90,230
- Chicago, IL — $76,790
- Miami, FL — $48,430
Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $116,020 | $82,382 | $55,280 – $142,930 | 1,400 |
| Texas | $110,080 | $86,271 | $54,520 – $137,410 | 1,270 |
| Washington | $107,670 | $84,576 | $82,220 – $113,880 | 80 |
| New York | $101,990 | $75,603 | $60,360 – $143,790 | 1,400 |
| Iowa | $93,810 | $71,912 | $63,560 – $104,490 | 160 |
| Rhode Island | $92,250 | $70,885 | $61,670 – $107,310 | 60 |
| Minnesota | $83,680 | $63,532 | $64,150 – $97,410 | 320 |
| Colorado | $83,010 | $64,283 | $65,960 – $110,700 | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $79,940 | $61,291 | $46,080 – $91,350 | 50 |
| Arizona | $77,770 | $61,806 | $61,510 – $90,020 | 70 |
| Nebraska | $76,480 | $60,033 | $60,910 – $87,080 | 60 |
| Illinois | $75,890 | $58,607 | $31,200 – $122,390 | 770 |
| South Dakota | $75,210 | $61,740 | $63,610 – $78,960 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $73,510 | $58,120 | $57,910 – $91,710 | 110 |
| Missouri | $72,500 | $57,364 | $56,000 – $97,480 | 270 |
| North Dakota | $70,540 | $58,339 | $56,030 – $81,130 | 60 |
| Idaho | $69,330 | $55,037 | $66,290 – $75,460 | 40 |
| Alabama | $67,340 | $53,102 | $37,700 – $84,270 | 350 |
| Ohio | $67,330 | $55,127 | $49,750 – $94,740 | 340 |
| Mississippi | $67,300 | $54,216 | $47,720 – $75,000 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $65,640 | $52,815 | $38,560 – $121,260 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,100 | $52,489 | $40,130 – $90,330 | 670 |
| Louisiana | $63,380 | $51,591 | $26,650 – $97,360 | 270 |
| Montana | $62,730 | $50,392 | $50,870 – $78,890 | 50 |
| Nevada | $62,030 | $52,021 | $46,750 – $78,430 | 70 |
| Michigan | $61,600 | $49,308 | $41,040 – $79,780 | 260 |
| South Carolina | $61,100 | $48,765 | $45,190 – $76,300 | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $60,800 | $48,842 | $53,000 – $68,000 | 180 |
| Connecticut | $59,390 | $48,152 | $43,370 – $74,680 | 210 |
| Maryland | $59,300 | $47,374 | $41,620 – $90,360 | — |
| Arkansas | $59,180 | $47,636 | $53,200 – $80,090 | 130 |
| West Virginia | $56,790 | $45,989 | $44,550 – $70,890 | 90 |
| Virginia | $55,210 | $44,181 | $37,840 – $78,360 | 320 |
| Indiana | $54,740 | $44,578 | $42,740 – $77,320 | 890 |
| Kentucky | $50,350 | $40,992 | $29,610 – $50,350 | 80 |
| Florida | $49,240 | $41,744 | $35,320 – $81,370 | 1,110 |
| Maine | $49,110 | $39,507 | $48,370 – $89,670 | 30 |
| Delaware | $44,760 | $36,337 | $40,350 – $86,130 | 40 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a court reporter and simultaneous captioner make?
The national median salary for court reporters and simultaneous captioners is $72,420 a year ($34.82 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $42,130 and the top 10% earn over $130,560. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays court reporters and simultaneous captioners the most?
California has the highest median pay at $116,020. After taxes and local prices, New York, NY offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many court reporters and simultaneous captioners are there in the U.S.?
About 12,870 people work as court reporters and simultaneous captioners nationwide.