Court Reporter Hourly Pay in Sacramento, CA: $58.69 (2026)
Quick Answer:Hourly pay for a court reporter working in Sacramento, CA runs $58.69 at the median for 2026 — annualizing to $122,065 at a standard 2,080-hour year. Figures projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Weighted against Sacramento's regional price level (BEA RPP 106.7, 7% above national), each hour of work buys what $55.02 nationally would. A 24-hour part-time schedule grosses $73,243 per year.
Official BLS data · View source
In Sacramento, the court reporter hourly pay reflects a robust market, with a median rate of $58.69. This figure is significantly higher than the national hourly median of $35.96, indicating a strong demand for court reporters in the area. With such an hourly rate, part-time court reporters working three days a week can earn substantial income, whether they are engaged in freelance work at deposition conference rooms, or working in state and federal courtrooms. The hourly range in Sacramento spans from $27.46 for entry-level positions to $68.49 for seasoned professionals, providing various earning potentials across different settings, including broadcast captioning and CART live event venues. This data, based on 2025 BLS OEWS data, projected to 2026, underlines the financial viability of this profession in CA.
Court Reporter Hourly Wage Breakdown
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Per 8hr Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $27.46 | $219.68 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $42.98 | $343.85 |
| Median (P50) | $58.69 | $469.51 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $68.49 | $547.91 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $68.49 | $547.91 |
Estimated Annual Income by Work Schedule in Sacramento
Based on $58.69/hr median hourly rate · 2026 est.
At $58.69/hr, a court reporter working full-time (40 hr/wk) in Sacramento, CA can expect to earn approximately $122,072 per year (2026 est.). Part-time hygienists working 24 hours per week would earn around $70,426. With a cost-of-living index of 106.67 (above the national average), these earnings may be offset by higher expenses in Sacramento.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Schedule Comparison in Sacramento
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (40 hrs) | $2,347.53 | $10,173 | $122,072 |
| Part-Time (24 hrs) | $1,408.52 | $6,104 | $73,243 |
| Per Diem (16 hrs) | $939.01 | $4,069 | $48,829 |
Compare CR Wages With Similar Roles
| Role | Median Hourly |
|---|---|
| Court Reporter (Sacramento) | $58.69 |
| Paralegal (National Avg) | $29.95 |
| Medical Transcriptionist (National Avg) | $19.96 |
| Legal Secretary (National Avg) | $26.86 |
| Interpreter / Translator (National Avg) | $28.15 |
Court Reporters in Sacramento, CA earn a median of $122,065 per year (2026 est.), which is 63.21% higher than the national median of $74,788 and 4.10% below the California state average of $127,284.
Court Reporter Hourly Pay vs. Cost of Living
Working 24h/week at $58.69/hr = $73,243/year (purchasing power: $68,663).
Working 40h/week (full-time) = $122,072/year (purchasing power: $114,439).
CoL index: 106.67 (100 = national average).
2019 BLS Actual
$42.44/hr
2025 BLS Actual
$56.83/hr
2026 Current Est.
$58.69/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+42.8%
Hourly Rate Trajectory for Court Reporters in Sacramento (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $42.44/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $48.39/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $37.59/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $50.84/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $60.78/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $50.15/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $56.83/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $58.69/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $60.61/hr | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, the median hourly rate for court reporters in Sacramento grew 33.9% from $42.44/hr (2019) to $56.83/hr (2025). At a 3.27% projected growth rate, hourly pay is expected to reach $60.61/hr by 2027. Part-time and per-diem court reporters can use this multi-year trend to benchmark future contract negotiations.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Sacramento metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.27% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Working as an Hourly Court Reporter in Sacramento
The earning potential for part-time court reporters can be particularly impressive. For those working just 24 hours a week at the median hourly rate, their annual earnings would reach around $45,000, a commendable figure for part-time work. Additionally, many court reporters alternate between freelance roles and per-diem assignments, which can significantly elevate their hourly pay. Freelance deposition reporters typically charge between $400 and $800 for a half-day session, plus additional fees for transcripts, while realtime and CART captioning services demand rates of $150 to $300 per hour. Employers in Sacramento include official state court reporters, federal positions, and private firms, each offering different pay scales based on their operational structures. Freelancers often earn less hourly due to the lack of benefits, while state employees might see lower pay but receive health insurance. Negotiation tips for hourly workers in this competitive field include being aware of the current rates in various niches and understanding the trade-offs of benefits versus hourly pay when considering job offers.
More salary data for Sacramento, CA:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Maria Gomez, RPR
Career Analyst
Maria Gomez has 10 years of experience in court reporting. She specializes in transcription for civil litigation cases. She works in various courtrooms across the state.
Methodology & Data Source
Hourly wage figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.27% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to estimate current 2026 hourly rates for court reporters in Sacramento. Part-time and full-time income estimates assume consistent weekly hours and do not account for overtime, benefits, or seasonal variation.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 6-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.27%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for court reporters (SOC 27-3092).
Compiled and verified by Maria Gomez, RPR, a licensed court reporter with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov