Court Reporter Hourly Pay in Madisonville, KY: $30.59 (2026)
Quick Answer:Hourly pay for a court reporter working in Madisonville, KY runs $30.59 at the median for 2026 — annualizing to $63,625 at a standard 2,080-hour year. Figures projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Weighted against Madisonville's regional price level (BEA RPP 89.3, 11% below national), each hour of work buys what $34.25 nationally would. A 24-hour part-time schedule grosses $38,175 per year.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
In Madisonville, KY, court reporters earn an estimated median hourly rate of $30.59 in 2026, which lags behind the national hourly median of $35.96. This discrepancy affects part-time and freelance professionals who work in various settings, such as deposition conference rooms, courtrooms, home studios for broadcast captioning, and CART services at events or universities. Entry-level reporters can expect to earn around $18.45 per hour, while top earners in the field can reach up to $47.41, reflecting the diverse opportunities available to court reporters. The hourly rates presented are derived from annual salary data, underscoring the fiscal reality for those pursuing this career in Madisonville where the cost of living is relatively low.
About the Madisonville Market
Salary estimated from Kentucky average ($50,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Court Reporter Hourly Wage Breakdown
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Per 8hr Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $18.45 | $147.63 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $22.83 | $182.66 |
| Median (P50) | $30.59 | $244.71 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $39.15 | $313.20 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $47.41 | $379.29 |
Estimated Annual Income by Work Schedule in Madisonville
Based on $30.59/hr median hourly rate · 2026 est.
At $30.59/hr, a court reporter working full-time (40 hr/wk) in Madisonville, KY can expect to earn approximately $63,624 per year (2026 est.). Part-time hygienists working 24 hours per week would earn around $36,706. With a cost-of-living index of 89.30 (below the national average), these earnings stretch further in Madisonville.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Schedule Comparison in Madisonville
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (40 hrs) | $1,223.54 | $5,302 | $63,624 |
| Part-Time (24 hrs) | $734.13 | $3,181 | $38,175 |
| Per Diem (16 hrs) | $489.42 | $2,121 | $25,450 |
Compare CR Wages With Similar Roles
| Role | Median Hourly |
|---|---|
| Court Reporter (Madisonville) | $30.59 |
| 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 Madisonville, KY earn a median of $63,625 per year (2026 est.), which is 14.93% lower than the national median of $74,788 and 4.70% below the Kentucky state average of $66,762.
Court Reporter Hourly Pay vs. Cost of Living
Working 24h/week at $30.59/hr = $38,175/year (purchasing power: $42,749).
Working 40h/week (full-time) = $63,624/year (purchasing power: $71,248).
CoL index: 89.3 (100 = national average). Your dollars stretch further here.
2019 BLS Actual
$24.59/hr
2025 BLS Actual
$29.62/hr
2026 Current Est.
$30.59/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Hourly Rate Trajectory for Court Reporters in Madisonville (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $24.59/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $25.22/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $24.70/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $26.00/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $26.15/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $20.45/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $29.62/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $30.59/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $31.59/hr | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, the median hourly rate for court reporters in Madisonville grew 20.4% from $24.59/hr (2019) to $29.62/hr (2025). At a 3.27% projected growth rate, hourly pay is expected to reach $31.59/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 Madisonville 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 Madisonville
For a court reporter working part-time in Madisonville, drawing a weekly schedule of three days—approximately 24 hours—translates to an annual income significantly lower than a full-time counterpart, curtailing potential earnings. Per-diem court reporters often find promise in freelance work, which can yield substantially higher pay; half-day depositions typically range from $400 to $800, with added transcript fees complementing earnings. Those specializing in realtime captioning tend to command pay between $150 and $300 per hour, ensuring that the most experienced professionals are compensated well above the median. Variances in hourly rates across employer types—freelance court reporters, state or federal employees, and CART providers—further complicate the earning potential landscape. Many choose positions offering lower hourly compensation for benefits like health insurance, a common trade-off in the field. Negotiating effectively in Madisonville can enhance earning capabilities, particularly as demand for skilled stenographers remains high amid a nationwide shortage in the workforce, as reported by the NCRA.
More salary data for Madisonville, KY:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Career Resources
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 Madisonville. Part-time and full-time income estimates assume consistent weekly hours and do not account for overtime, benefits, or seasonal variation.
Data Sources & Methodology
Salary data for Madisonville is estimated from official BLS state-level occupational wage data (2025), adjusted for regional cost-of-living differences using BEA RPP (Regional Price Parities).
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