Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Salary
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in Iowa make a median of $93,810 a year, or about $45.1 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $105,571 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $94K get you in Iowa?
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for court reporters and simultaneous captioners, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa offers a genuinely strong financial position for court reporters and simultaneous captionerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level court reporters and simultaneous captioners (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $82K | -13% | 50 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a court reporters and simultaneous captioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for court reporters and simultaneous captioners in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new court reporters and simultaneous captioners typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,814/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is court reporters and simultaneous captioner a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $94K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for court reporters and simultaneous captioners?
Iowa pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do court reporters and simultaneous captioners make in Iowa?
The median is $93,810 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,560, and experienced court reporters and simultaneous captioners can clear $104,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,788/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 18.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary is worth about $105,571 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do court reporters and simultaneous captioners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.