How to Become a Digital Court Reporter in California (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

California employs about 1,400 digital court reporters earning a median $116,020 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 California

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
1Not ratedContact school for pricingNot reportedNot reportedYes*221 mi
269.0Contact school for pricing$51,40252%Yes*188 mi
Sponsored Ad
356.3Contact school for pricing$54,81830%Yes*134 mi
451.4Contact school for pricing$39,36646%Yes*132 mi
Sponsored Ad
549.9Contact school for pricing$70,26424%Yes*445 mi
649.5Contact school for pricing$57,85436%—140 mi
Sponsored Ad
746.3Contact school for pricing$44,55528%Yes*20 mi
845.7Contact school for pricing$62,66438%Yes*242 mi
Sponsored Ad
944.1Contact school for pricing$39,15932%Yes*453 mi
1038.9Contact school for pricingNot reported19%—140 mi
Sponsored Ad

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.

California employs approximately 1,400 digital court reporters according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $116,020 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 California, 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 (California): $116,020 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Digital Court Reporter in California

How to become a Digital Court Reporter in California? 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 California? 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 California? The median annual wage for digital court reporters in California is $116,020 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $55,280 and experienced professionals can earn $142,930 or more 1.

How to Become a Digital Court Reporter in California

  1. Complete a digital reporting program. Finish a digital court-reporting or captioning program. This is not a steno-machine apprenticeship.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 California

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

  1. Complete a digital reporting program.

  2. Earn AAERT.

  3. 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 California

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Wages by Metro Area in California

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), court reporters and simultaneous captioners wages in California vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim290$86,510$88,240$41,430$123,160
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont260$129,270$120,200$62,860$141,960
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario230$133,900$122,540$83,650$142,930
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom110$118,200$109,560$55,310$137,940
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad110$123,230$104,720$55,380$123,450
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara50$143,170$128,960$84,710$143,170
Bakersfield-Delano30$102,900$97,990$82,540$102,900
Stockton-Lodi30$138,340$123,680$97,440$138,340
Visalia30$108,790$108,020$102,520$115,490

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for digital court reporters in California? California currently employs approximately 1,400 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 California? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in California.

How much do digital court reporters earn in California compared to the national average? The median annual wage for digital court reporters in California is $116,020, which is $48,710 above the national median of $67,310 according to BLS data 1.

In California

Top local programs

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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

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. 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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / 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)