Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Salary
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners in South Dakota make a median of $75,210 a year, or about $36.16 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $83,669 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 19.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $75K get you in South Dakota?
About court reporters and simultaneous captioners
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Court reporters and simultaneous captioners pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $72K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 19.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level court reporters and simultaneous captioners (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track court reporters and simultaneous captioners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a court reporters and simultaneous captioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 19.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for court reporters and simultaneous captioners in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new court reporters and simultaneous captioners typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,817/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is court reporters and simultaneous captioner a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $72K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for court reporters and simultaneous captioners?
South Dakota pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do court reporters and simultaneous captioners make in South Dakota?
The median is $75,210 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,610, and experienced court reporters and simultaneous captioners can clear $78,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,108/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 19.9% 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (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 $83,669 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.