by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Court Reporting and Captioning covers Court Reporting And Captioning/court Reporter. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Record And Transcribe Examinations, Testimony, Judicial Orders And Instructions, Legal Opinions, And Other Formal Proceedings Via Print Or Electronic Methods. Includes Instruction In Legal Terminology, Legal Transcription, Shorthand, Verbatim Recording, Equipment Operation And Procedures, Applicable Regulations, And Professional Standards And Ethics. Continue reading for the important information every court reporting and captioning student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering court reporting and captioning programs.
In the U.S., court reporting and captioning is a widely-pursued major, with 380 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Court Reporting and Captioning Schools ranking analyzes these 34 schools to determine the best overall colleges for court reporting and captioning students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of court reporting and captioning programs later in this article.
Coursework for Court Reporting and Captioning emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations court reporting and captioning graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a court reporting and captioning program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a court reporting and captioning major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several court reporting and captioning degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 150 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 81 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 85 |
People currently working in careers related to court reporting and captioning tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Postsecondary certificate | 74.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.5% |
| Some college courses | 5.2% |
| First professional degree | 2.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in court reporting and captioning careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying court reporting and captioning prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to court reporting and captioning.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to court reporting and captioning.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | 51,457 | 8.7% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of court reporting and captioning graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,277 |
| 4 years | $37,648 |
| 5 years | $42,965 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for court reporting and captioning graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers court reporting and captioning grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $76,955 |
With 34 different court reporting and captioning programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased court reporting and captioning school rankings to help you.
Those considering court reporting and captioning, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 9,493 |
| Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary | 403 |
| Legal Support Services, Other | 212 |
| Court Interpreter | 2 |
| Scopist | 2 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
