When Cynthia Rodriguez dropped out of college at 21 as the mother of three, nobody would have expected her to be earning a six-figure salary.
Fewer yet would have suspected the occupation that would lead to it: court reporter. As the world concentrates on flashy startups and social media fame, Rodriguez found financial freedom typing out words most don’t want to hear in a courtroom.
Rodriguez, 42, lives in Bakersfield, California, and earns more than $200,000 a year typing legal cases onto a steno machine, a small typewriter-like device played with both hands to transcribe phonetic sounds at the speed of lightning.
She transcribes 250 words per minute. Her job? Sitting unobtrusively in courthouses, transcribing every word uttered at trials, depositions, and legal hearings.
Shortage of Court Reporters
But what could appear to be backstage work is actually one of the most critical aspects of the judicial process. Court reporters are the guardians of the official record, ensuring proceedings are carefully recorded for judges, juries, and attorneys.
Despite the importance of the work, demand for court reporters has fallen dramatically in recent years. According to the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the shortage is a minimum of 5,000 court reporters across the country, a shortage that’s only going to get larger.
Which, ironically, is great news for people like Rodriguez. In an economy that’s shifting away from traditional careers and toward nontraditional ones, and away from traditional degrees, court reporting is becoming a best-kept secret.
Rodriguez’s mentor Irene Nakamura, a seasoned court reporter with more than 30 years on the job, said that,
“Everyone thinks it’s this old-fashioned profession, but really it’s in high demand. It’s high-paying, doesn’t require a four-year college degree, and is very flexible.”
Career Born Out of Necessity
Rodriguez did not plan to become a court reporter. A recent high school graduate in 1998, she waited tables in Delano, California, but was drained by the long hours and low wages.
A single mother now, she needed more than a paycheck; she required stability. She returned to her parents’ home and saw a career counselor at Bakersfield Community College, who suggested their court reporting program.
She took a chance, inspired by her interest in courtroom dramas like Law & Order.
“It sounded quite cool, to be honest,” she recalls. “I was like, why not be part of the system fixing problems instead of sitting and watching it on TV?”
That decision changed everything. Over three years, she learned courtroom practices, shorthand, business law, and most importantly, how to type faster than most people believe. The training wasn’t easy.
Rodriguez admits she had considered quitting countless times. “It was intense,“ she says. “But my dad wouldn’t let me quit.”
California, like the majority of states, requires court reporters to pass a licensing exam following completion of an accredited training program. Rodriguez did just that, in large part thanks to her family being willing to care for her children while she attended school.
From Starting Salary to Six Figures
In 2005, Rodriguez was hired at Kern County Superior Court. Initial pay? $60,000. With overtime and side work like real-time captioning for the deaf, in two years, she was making six figures.
Court reporters are typically paid per page for transcripts, on top of their salary. Nakamura estimates this extra work at between $50,000 and $100,000 per year.
Since the vocation is so accommodating, you are able to grind or glide, as the case may be, in line with the pace of your own drive and ambition. “That’s the point,” Rodriguez replies. “You want a 40-hour week? Okay. Want to fight for more? There’s always work.”
Indeed.com job postings show California part-time court reporter jobs paying up to $50 an hour. Freelance reporters such as Rodriguez, who left her full-time job in 2022, can earn more and work flexible hours.
The Emotional Weight behind the Work
For all the monetary incentive, the work isn’t easy. Court reporters must be totally objective and quiet as well, even at the most passionate trials. Rodriguez recalls being inches from people accused of heinous crimes.
“You hear things you can’t un-hear,” she says. How does she manage to cope? Focusing on small things in the room, like a tree outside the window, to keep her grounded.
It is also worth remembering how important her work is.
“Judges, lawyers, jurors, they’re all relying on my words to make choices that change lives.”
A New Chapter
Rodriguez is now an IDepo Reporters contract employee, Nakamura’s court reporting company, where she has spent the last year.
She makes her own schedule and chooses and selects her own work, sometimes coming in later in the morning and working weekends off, which she never had before.
She’s currently getting certified as a court reporter in Hawaii so that she can split her time between there and California. And in the future? She’d like to open up her own agency to mentor the next generation of reporters.
An Overlooked Career Choice
So why isn’t everyone doing it? Blame ignorance. High pay potential and no bachelor’s degree required notwithstanding, court reporting never shows up on career guidance websites or guidance counselor pamphlets.
It’s an old-fashioned profession in a new age, so it gets overlooked. But for those who are able to handle the keyboard and courtroom theatrics, it can be a life-changing experience. Rodriguez summarizes:
“I wake up every morning and I love what I do. What more do you want out of a job?”
How to Become a Court Reporter
Here are all of the essentials you need to know to become court reporter:
- Education – High school diploma or GED, and NCRA-accredited certificate or associate degree.
- Requirements – High-speed typing (225+ words per minute), knowledge of legal vocabulary, and high concentration.
- Certification – Pass a state licensing test (requirements vary by state).
- Income Potential – $40–$100+/hour; up to $200K+ per year with transcript fees.
- Job Outlook – National shortage = high demand.
Perhaps it is not glamorous. But it is genuine. And for Cynthia Rodriguez, it is everything she ever hoped for, and more.
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