Affordable Court Reporter Degree & Schools Online

A Court Reporter, also referred to as a Stenographer or Stenotypist, is an individual whose main task is to transcribe spoken or recorded conversations, legal proceedings, and other related events using a stenotype or stenomask to produce written accounts of legal hearings, depositions and other official court proceedings.

Court Reporters are require to have excellent communication and listening skills, good English grammar, vocabulary and punctuation skills, as well as the ability to function efficiently and effectively over a prolonged period of time.

Job Requirements

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) requires a minimum speed of 225 words per minute to become a certified Court Reporter.

Court Reporting Certificate Programs

Court Reporting Certificate programs are specifically designed to teach aspiring Court Reporters the necessary skills to efficiently use the machines and technology to accurately record o transcribe a variety of official or legal court proceedings.

The volume of training that is required to become a certified Court Reporter may vary depending on the specialized area of reporting. It normally takes two to four years(depends upon number of chosen subjects) to acquire the basic skills to become a certified Court Reporter. Specified training courses are available through private business schools, distance learning and online training programs.

Online Court Reporting Certificate Programs

Online Court Reporting certificate programs provide a convenient and flexible opportunity for students to develop the skills to become certified Court Reporters at their own pace. Most online Court Reporter programs encompass legal transcription, court and real-time reporting, recording, shorthand theory, legal and medical terminology, shorthand equipment operations and procedures and other related areas. Students will also learn:

• Written communications and personal skills
• Professional standards and ethics
• Speed development
• Advanced real-time skills

Upon successful completion of a formal training program, students will be awarded the title Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) which is accredited by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Some Court Reporters may pursue higher education to acquire multiple certifications of which include the Certified Real Time Reporters (CRR), certification or some professionals may choose to pursue an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree Court Reporter program through a traditional college or university.

Career Opportunities for a Certified Court Reporter

A career in court reporting can be a challenging, yet interesting and exciting experience. Certified Court Reporters may be employed by law firms, state and local governments or court reporting agencies. Court Reporters may also choose to work outside the courtroom as freelancers, transcribing depositions or meetings, or hired by television stations to do closed captioning for the hearing-impaired. Highly-skilled Court Reporters are always in demand and employment opportunities are projected to grow much faster as there are more job openings than job seekers presently in the field.

Salary for a Certified Court Reporter

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), the lowest paid 10% of Court Reporters earned around $23,700, the median earnings are between $30,700 and $60,700, and the highest paid 10% earn more than around $77,700 per year.

Leading Schools for Certificates in Court Reporting

• Penn Foster College
• Court Reporting Institute of Dallas
• Bryan College Court Reporting