Career Definition for a Court Stenographer

Court stenographers, also known as court reporters, provide verbatim written transcripts

of spoken testimony given during legal proceedings, such as trials, hearings, and depositions.

Using a stenography machine with 22 keys representing consonants and vowels, they are able

to write syllables, words and phrases phonetically by pressing a several keys at once. With the

aid of transcription software, court stenographers convert the resulting ‘stenotype,’ a form of

electronic shorthand, into typed English transcripts. While some court stenographers are self-

employed, many work for federal and state court systems and government agencies.

Education and Certification Requirements

Court stenography employers generally require an associate or bachelor’s degree in a

court reporting program certified by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA); certified

programs are listed on the NCRA website (www.ncraonline.org).

Skills Required

Court stenographers must be detailed-oriented and highly organized, with excellent

typing, grammar and vocabulary skills. They must be able to write a minimum of 225 words per

minute with a stenography machine for NCRA certification, use transcription software and type

error-free transcripts under deadline pressure. Familiarity with courtroom procedure and legal

terminology is essential. In addition to having excellent hearing, court stenographers must be

able to sit, listen and concentrate for extended periods of time. In most cases, court

stenographers must also provide their own stenography equipment.

Economic and Career Outlook

 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts 9% of job growth for court reporters,

including court stenography professionals, over the 2019-2029 decade. The BLS also published

the median annual earnings of a court reporter in May 2019 as $60,130.