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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captionerss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captionerss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. San Antonio-New Braunfels ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $132,211/year, better purchasing power than Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands's higher nominal pay of $129,820. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands$129,820
#2 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$127,310
#3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$127,010

Best purchasing power

#1 San Antonio-New Braunfels$132,211
#2 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands$131,623
#3 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$119,607

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed court reporters and simultaneous captionerss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$125,230
$132,211
#2
$129,820
$131,623
#3
$127,310
$119,607
#4
$127,010
$109,861
#5
$105,410
$102,250
#6
$114,050
$101,930
#7
$104,300
$97,778
#8
$108,720
$96,588
#9
New Orleans-Metairie
21% rent burden
$75,180
$81,188
#10
St. Louis
20% rent burden
$73,960
$77,779
#11
$72,320
$69,814
#12
Oklahoma City
24% rent burden
$62,800
$69,461
#13
Cincinnati
25% rent burden
$66,110
$69,319
#14
$71,080
$69,313
#15
$67,240
$67,200
#16
$65,780
$65,583
#17
Pittsburgh
25% rent burden
$62,000
$65,491
#18
$68,490
$65,341
#19
Cleveland
26% rent burden
$59,850
$63,724
#20
$58,800
$58,281
#21
$54,080
$56,510
#22
$60,870
$55,906
#23
$58,010
$50,815
#24
$48,030
$47,358
#25
$51,270
$45,144

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captionerss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $129,820 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $108,183 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A court reporters and simultaneous captioners in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captionerss?

San Antonio-New Braunfels has one of the lowest rent burdens for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captionerss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,426/month, with a median salary of $125,230.

Where do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captionerss get paid the most in nominal terms?

Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays the highest nominal median salary at $129,820/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Court Reporters and Simultaneous CaptionerssView →How to become a court reporters and simultaneous captionersGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →