How to Become a Digital Court Reporter in Arizona (2026)
Arizona employs about 70 digital court reporters earning a median $77,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Digital Court Reporter here means completing a digital court-reporting or captioning program plus AAERT. Certified shorthand reporter licenses are a different credential.
Compare Digital Court Reporter Schools in Arizona
| # | School | BOC Score (0–100) | Tuition | Median grad earnings (all majors) | Graduation rate | Online | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poway Adult School | Not rated | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | Not reported | Yes* | 342 mi |
| 2 | Cerritos College | 56.3 | Contact school for pricing | $54,818 | 30% | Yes* | 410 mi |
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| 3 | Downey Adult School | 51.4 | Contact school for pricing | $39,366 | 46% | Yes* | 411 mi |
| 4 | GateWay Community College | 49.9 | Contact school for pricing | $70,264 | 24% | Yes* | 84 mi |
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| 5 | Cypress College | 49.5 | Contact school for pricing | $57,854 | 36% | — | 405 mi |
| 6 | El Paso Community College | 46.5 | Contact school for pricing | $39,712 | 23% | Yes* | 286 mi |
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| 7 | Taft College | 46.3 | Contact school for pricing | $44,555 | 28% | Yes* | 506 mi |
| 8 | Bryan University | 44.1 | Contact school for pricing | $39,159 | 32% | Yes* | 70 mi |
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| 9 | Navajo Technical University | 43.0 | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | 16% | Yes* | 270 mi |
| 10 | South Coast College | 38.9 | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | 19% | — | 402 mi |
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.
Arizona employs approximately 70 digital court reporters according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $77,770 1. Nationally, digital court reporter employment is projected to grow -0.3% from 2024 to 2034, with about 1,700 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Digital Court Reporter in Arizona, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.
At a Glance
- Training paths: digital court-reporting program (find programs)
- Typical timeline: a digital court-reporting or captioning program plus AAERT. Certified shorthand reporter licenses are a different credential
- Exam: AAERT
- Median wage (Arizona): $77,770 per year 1
Quick Answers About How to Become a Digital Court Reporter in Arizona
How to become a Digital Court Reporter in Arizona? Complete a digital court-reporting or captioning program plus AAERT. Certified shorthand reporter licenses are a different credential. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.
How long does it take? Most people finish a digital court-reporting or captioning program plus AAERT. Certified shorthand reporter licenses are a different credential. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.
Do I need a license in Arizona? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect AAERT. See the licensing section below.
What do digital court reporters earn in Arizona? The median annual wage for digital court reporters in Arizona is $77,770 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $61,510 and experienced professionals can earn $90,020 or more 1.
How to Become a Digital Court Reporter in Arizona
- Complete a digital reporting program. Finish a digital court-reporting or captioning program. This is not a steno-machine apprenticeship.
- Earn AAERT. AAERT is the digital and electronic reporting path. Do not treat a certified shorthand reporter (CSR/CCR) row or a Board of Court Reporting as the digital-reporter credential.
- Most states do not license digital reporters as a separate occupation. Confirm employer and court-contract rules. Do not apply to a steno court-reporting board for a digital-only path.
Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.
Digital Court Reporter License Requirements in Arizona
Digital court reporters typically earn AAERT. Certified shorthand reporter licenses and Boards of Court Reporting are a related but different (steno) path, not the digital credential.
Typical path
Complete a digital reporting program.
Earn AAERT.
Do not treat a steno CSR license as the digital path.
Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.
Digital Court Reporter Wages by Metro Area in Arizona
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the job outlook for digital court reporters in Arizona? Arizona currently employs approximately 70 digital court reporters 1. Nationally, digital court reporter employment is projected to grow -0.3% from 2024 to 2034 2.
What training programs are available in Arizona? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Arizona.
How much do digital court reporters earn in Arizona compared to the national average? The median annual wage for digital court reporters in Arizona is $77,770, which is $10,460 above the national median of $67,310 according to BLS data 1.
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Citations
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |