The average salary for a court reporter in California is around $116,020 per year.
Avg Salary
Court reporters earn an average yearly salary of $116,020.
Wages typically start from $55,280 and go up to $142,930.
34% above national average Updated in 2025
Court reporter earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level court reporter earnings begin at:
$68.72 per hour
$142,930 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level court reporter earnings begin at:
$64.37 per hour
$133,900 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level court reporter earnings begin at:
$55.78 per hour
$116,020 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level court reporter earnings begin at:
$41.62 per hour
$86,560 per year
10th percentile
Starting level court reporter earnings begin at:
$26.58 per hour
$55,280 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Court reporter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Iowa | $93,810 |
| Rhode Island | $92,250 |
| Minnesota | $83,680 |
| Colorado | $83,010 |
| Massachusetts | $79,940 |
| Arizona | $77,770 |
| Nebraska | $76,480 |
| Illinois | $75,890 |
| South Dakota | $75,210 |
| North Carolina | $73,510 |
| Missouri | $72,500 |
| North Dakota | $70,540 |
| Idaho | $69,330 |
| Alabama | $67,340 |
| Ohio | $67,330 |
| Mississippi | $67,300 |
| Wisconsin | $65,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,100 |
| Louisiana | $63,380 |
| Montana | $62,730 |
| Nevada | $62,030 |
| Michigan | $61,600 |
| South Carolina | $61,100 |
| Oklahoma | $60,800 |
| New Jersey | $60,470 |
| New Mexico | $59,560 |
| Connecticut | $59,390 |
| Maryland | $59,300 |
| Arkansas | $59,180 |
| West Virginia | $56,790 |
| Tennessee | $56,600 |
| Virginia | $55,210 |
| Indiana | $54,740 |
| Kansas | $54,080 |
| Kentucky | $50,350 |
| Florida | $49,240 |
| Maine | $49,110 |
| Oregon | $48,940 |
| Hawaii | $48,640 |
| District of Columbia | $48,130 |
| Delaware | $44,760 |
| Georgia | $30,900 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,760 |
| Utah | $18,420 |
| California | $116,020 |
| Texas | $110,080 |
| Washington | $107,670 |
| New York | $101,990 |
How do court reporter salaries compare to similar careers?
Court reporters earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than special agents but more than forensic science technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Special agent salary | $125K |
| Arbitrator salary | $98K |
| Urban planner salary | $110K |
| Police officer salary | $119K |
| Sheriff salary | $119K |
| Court reporter salary | $116K |
| Television writer salary | $86K |
| Camera operator salary | $107K |
| Probation officer salary | $104K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $102K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)