Court Reporter – A Rewarding Career

A court reporter’s job is very important and carries with it a big responsibility.

The job demands accuracy and speed which at times can be very stressful.

However, the skills of good listening and excellent comprehension along with fast transcription are very valuable to several different organizations.

The legal and medical professions could not survive without accurate transcribers and court reporters.

Television and Internet companies utilize the services of court reporters for the hearing impaired for not only recreational media, but for emergency related alerts and information.

Because of this, court reporters may actually have a part in the saving of lives when they work as close captioning translators for tornado warnings or other emergencies.

Court Reporter Salary

As of 2008, the average salary of a court reporter, also called a stenotype reporter is somewhere between $35,390 and $67,430 depending on the experience and level of expertise acquired.

Median yearly salary in May of 2008 was $51,150 for court reporters working in local government and $44,670 for those working in business support services.

Usually the minimum requirement of a court reporter is to hold a license that makes them a Certified Court Reporter.

Pre-licensing education of approximately 33 months and continuing education are required to maintain this license for a stenotypist.

A voice writer’s requirements are significantly less with training of a little under a year. Some of these requirements vary by state.

The highest level attained by a court reporter is a Registered Diplomat Reporter and usually requires a Bachelor‘s Degree or 5 years experience as a Registered Merit Reporter.

Each level of certification is attained by passing a state exam with regard to speed, accuracy and knowledge of business English and language.