The field of the court reporter is growing at a surprising pace. While there were only 19,000 court reporters employed in 2006, that number is expected to increase by 25% over the next ten years. In addition to the increasing number of lawsuits around the country, part of this projected growth comes from a need for accurate and fast transcriptions of live television broadcasts.
Professionals who can accurately take dictation at a fast speed – like court reporters – are currently needed more than ever to transcribe events for the closed caption system for the hearing impaired.
Average Court Reporter Salary Details
Of course, it's hard to say how this growth will affect the future earnings potential for court reporters, but it's safe to say that if the demand for this job increases, it's likely that the salary range will go up as well.
Currently, court reporters earn an average of close to $45,000/year.
Court reporters are highly in-demand professionals who are paid a higher than average salary.
Most of the court reporters currently in the business are employed as salaried court reporters for local and federal governments. Some court reporters may also find employment through legal firms to provide transcription services for depositions and other in-house needs.
On the other hand, some court reporters choose to make a living through freelance work that allows them the option of working from home on their own schedules. Many times these court reporters are hired to do transcription work from audio recordings of court sessions and are paid by the page that they transcribe, instead of the hour. Although there's currently little information on the average salary of these self-employed court reporters, it's safe to assume that the reporters who are faster will earn more in the freelance marketplace.
It's also important to note that the lowest 10% of court reporters reported salaries of under $23,000/year, while the highest 10% said that they made more than $70,000/year. This disparity is due in large part to the differences between their employers and the economic situation of the area in which they live. As with most jobs, those court reporters that are living in smaller, more rural areas where they aren't needed as often aren't likely to earn as much as those who work in busy metropolitan areas.
However, the influx of freelance work that's becoming available over the internet could change that trend, as more and more people are telecommuting and working with employers they've never met in person. And although this trend may not have a large impact on court reporters in the immediate future, it's possible that rurally-based reporters who transcribe documents from home on a job-by-job basis could soon earn just as much as their counterparts who work in and around large city areas.
Regardless of whether you pursue court reporting as a full-time, 40 hour/week job or as a freelancer working from the comfort of your own home, it is possible to earn a good living working in the field. If you do plan to go the freelance route, you may find it helpful to work a regular transcription job first until you get the hang of the necessary skills. Then, when you do decide to go into business for yourself, you'll be able to command a higher rate than someone without real-world experience in the field.
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