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Court reporter salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$116,020median pay per year in California, or $55.78 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $55,280lowest 10% earn less
  2. $86,56025th percentile
  3. $116,020median
  4. $133,90075th percentile
  5. $142,930top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $72,420[3]

The median pay for a court reporter in California was $116,020 a year[1]. That was the highest median of any state with a published figure[5].

Jobs in CA
1,400[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 38[5]
Compared with US median
+60.2%[6]

How much do court reporters make in California?

The median wage for court reporters in California was $116,020 a year, or $55.78 an hour[1]. That means half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was a bit lower at $108,890 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for court reporters was $72,420 a year[3]. California was $43,600 (60.2%) higher[6]. Compared with all jobs in California, where the median was $58,240[8], court reporters earned $57,780 more[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $55,280 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $142,930[2]. Pay differs by metro area. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $143,170[10]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $86,510[11]. About 1,400 people held these wage and salary jobs in the state[4].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers. Self-employed people are left out, and so are bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for court reporters in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$116,020[1]$72,420[3]
Median per hour$55.78[1]$34.82[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$55,280[2]$42,130[13]
Top 10% earn more than$142,930[2]$130,560[13]
Jobs1,400[4]12,870[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for court reporters, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$86,510290
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$129,270260
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$133,900230
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$118,200110
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$123,230110
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$143,17050
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$102,90030
Stockton-Lodi, CA$138,34030

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for court reporters in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arizona[14]$77,77070
Nevada$62,03070

Median pay for court reporters in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for court reporters are projected to decline 0.1% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a court reporter make in California?
The median pay for a court reporter in California was $116,020 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $108,890 a year[7].
How much does a court reporter make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $55.78[1]. The 10th percentile was $26.58 an hour and the 90th percentile was $68.72[17].
Which city in California pays court reporters the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median annual wage among the 9 California metro areas with a published figure, at $143,170[10].
Is California a good state for court reporters?
California ranked 1st for median annual wage among the 38 states with a published median[5]. Its median of $116,020 was $43,600 (60.2%) above the US median[1][6].
What do you need to become a court reporter in California?
Across the US, the typical path starts with a postsecondary nondegree award, no work experience in a related occupation, and short-term on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure and not specific to California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California was $116,020 per year and $55.78 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California: 10th percentile $55,280, 25th percentile $86,560, 75th percentile $133,900, 90th percentile $142,930. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in the US as a whole was $72,420 per year and $34.82 per hour, with about 12,870 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,400 people worked as Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners out of the 38 states with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California ($116,020) was $43,600 (60.2%) higher than the US median ($72,420). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California was $108,890 per year and $52.35 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California was $57,780 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 9 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $143,170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in the US: 10th percentile $42,130, 25th percentile $53,760, 75th percentile $100,780, 90th percentile $130,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in states that border California (highest first): Arizona $77,770; Nevada $62,030. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners is projected to decline 0.1% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in California: 10th percentile $26.58, 25th percentile $41.62, 75th percentile $64.37, 90th percentile $68.72. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.