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Salary comparison

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners vs. Public Relations Specialists: Who Earns More?

Public Relations Specialists out-earn Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners land at $72,420 and Public Relations Specialists at $74,750. The education gap is real: court reporters and simultaneous captioner programs typically require bachelor's degree, while public relations specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners is California ($116,020); for Public Relations Specialists it's District of Columbia ($102,740).

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
Public Relations Specialists
Median salary
$72,420
$74,750
Hourly rate
$34.82/hr
$35.94/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$42,130
$44,110
Senior level (90th %)
$130,560
$135,150
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
12,870
283,380
Job growth (10-year)
-0.3%
4.8%
Category
Arts & Media
Arts & Media
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners median pay.

State
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
Public Relations Specialists
California
$116,020
$85,030
Washington
$107,670
$87,470
New York
$101,990
$81,250
Rhode Island
$92,250
$77,540
Minnesota
$83,680
$68,620
Colorado
$83,010
$80,680
Massachusetts
$79,940
$79,660
Illinois
$75,890
$76,380
North Dakota
$70,540
$70,280
Wisconsin
$65,640
$67,240
Nevada
$62,030
$73,840
Connecticut
$59,390
$84,990
Maryland
$59,300
$79,560
Virginia
$55,210
$80,380
Delaware
$44,760
$76,120

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners or Public Relations Specialists?

Public Relations Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $72,420 for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners versus $74,750 for Public Relations Specialists, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners or Public Relations Specialists?

Public Relations Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 4.8% projected growth, compared to -0.3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners or Public Relations Specialists?

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners typically requires bachelor's degree. Public Relations Specialists requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners at $116,020/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners vs. Public Relations Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners earn $116,020 vs. $85,030 for Public Relations Specialists. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners salary breakdownView →Full Public Relations Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Public Relations Specialists by take-home payExplore →How to become a court reporters and simultaneous captionersGuide →How to become a public relations specialistsGuide →