Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Salary
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA make a median of $113,200 a year, or about $54.42 an hour. The range runs from $108K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $101,863 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $113K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About court reporters and simultaneous captioners
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What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for court reporters and simultaneous captioners, local pay runs about 56% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $2,501/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for court reporters and simultaneous captioners in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boise City | $69K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level court reporters and simultaneous captioners (10th percentile) start around $108K. Mid-career wages sit at $113K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $6K spread from bottom to top.
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $116K | +60% | 1,400 |
| Texas | $110K | +52% | 1,270 |
| Washington | $108K | +49% | 80 |
| New York | $102K | +41% | 1,400 |
| Iowa | $94K | +30% | 160 |
| Rhode Island | $92K | +27% | 60 |
| Minnesota | $84K | +16% | 320 |
| Colorado | $83K | +15% | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +10% | 50 |
| Arizona | $78K | +7% | 70 |
| Nebraska | $76K | +6% | 60 |
| Illinois | $76K | +5% | 770 |
| South Dakota | $75K | +4% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $74K | +2% | 110 |
| Missouri | $73K | +0% | 270 |
| North Dakota | $71K | -3% | 60 |
| Idaho | $69K | -4% | 40 |
| Alabama | $67K | -7% | 350 |
| Ohio | $67K | -7% | 340 |
| Mississippi | $67K | -7% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -9% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | -10% | 670 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -12% | 270 |
| Montana | $63K | -13% | 50 |
| Nevada | $62K | -14% | 70 |
| Michigan | $62K | -15% | 260 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -16% | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -16% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $59K | -18% | 210 |
| Maryland | $59K | -18% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $59K | -18% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -22% | 90 |
| Virginia | $55K | -24% | 320 |
| Indiana | $55K | -24% | 890 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -30% | 80 |
| Florida | $49K | -32% | 1,110 |
| Maine | $49K | -32% | 30 |
| Delaware | $45K | -38% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 38 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a court reporters and simultaneous captioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $113K, rent takes 34.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for court reporters and simultaneous captioners in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new court reporters and simultaneous captioners typically earn — is $108K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,460/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is court reporters and simultaneous captioner a high-paying job in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 56% above the national median — $113K here vs. $72K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for court reporters and simultaneous captioners?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $113K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +56%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do court reporters and simultaneous captioners make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $113,200 a year, that works out to about $54 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $107,670, and experienced court reporters and simultaneous captioners can clear $113,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $113K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,335/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 34.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary go in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary is worth about $101,863 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.