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Court reporter salary in Illinois

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$75,890median pay per year in Illinois, or $36.48 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,200lowest 10% earn less
  2. $31,20025th percentile
  3. $75,890median
  4. $95,99075th percentile
  5. $122,390top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $72,420[3]

The median pay for court reporters in Illinois was $75,890 a year in May 2025[1]. That is $3,470 above the US median[6].

Jobs in IL
770[4]
Rank by median pay
12 of 38[5]
Compared with US median
+4.8%[6]

How much do court reporters make in Illinois?

The median wage for court reporters in Illinois was $75,890 a year, or $36.48 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a little lower, at $73,260 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for court reporters was $72,420[3]. Illinois came in $3,470 (4.8%) higher[6]. Illinois had the 12th highest median among the 38 states with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median for court reporters was $23,930 higher than the all-jobs median of $51,960[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,200 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $122,390[2]. Among the 2 metro areas in or partly in Illinois with a published median, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN had the highest, at $76,790[10]. St. Louis, MO-IL had a median of $76,310[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, so self-employed people and business owners are left out. It also leaves out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Illinois vs US pay

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

ILUS
Median per year$75,890[1]$72,420[3]
Median per hour$36.48[1]$34.82[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$31,200[2]$42,130[13]
Top 10% earn more than$122,390[2]$130,560[13]
Jobs770[4]12,870[3]

Pay by metro area in Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois with the most jobs for court reporters, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN[11]$76,790510
St. Louis, MO-IL$76,310130

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Iowa[14]$93,810160
Missouri$72,500270
Wisconsin$65,64060
Indiana$54,740890
Kentucky$50,35080

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 Illinois?
The median was $75,890 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $73,260[7].
How much does a court reporter make an hour in Illinois?
The median hourly wage was $36.48[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $15.00 an hour[17][2].
Which city in Illinois pays court reporters the most?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN had the highest median of the 2 metro areas with a published figure, at $76,790 a year[10].
Is Illinois a good state for court reporters?
Illinois had the 12th highest median pay for court reporters among 38 states[5]. Its median was 4.8% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a court reporter in Illinois?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in Illinois was $75,890 per year and $36.48 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 Illinois: 10th percentile $31,200, 25th percentile $31,200, 75th percentile $95,990, 90th percentile $122,390. 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 770 people worked as Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in Illinois (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Illinois had the 12th highest median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners out of the 38 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in Illinois ($75,890) was $3,470 (4.8%) 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 Illinois was $73,260 per year and $35.22 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in Illinois was $23,930 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($51,960). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Illinois was $51,960. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 2 metro areas in or partly in Illinois with a published median for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN had the highest median annual wage, $76,790. 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 Illinois (highest first): Iowa $93,810; Missouri $72,500; Wisconsin $65,640; Indiana $54,740; Kentucky $50,350. 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 Illinois: 10th percentile $15.00, 25th percentile $15.00, 75th percentile $46.15, 90th percentile $58.84. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Illinois. 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.