Court Reporter Salary in Cedar Rapids, IA: $67,228 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time court reporter in Cedar Rapids, IA earns a median $67,228/year (≈ $32.32/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Once you factor in Cedar Rapids's price level (10% below national, BEA RPP 90.4), that paycheck buys what $74,367 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 0.6% below the Iowa state average.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
Cedar Rapids offers a competitive compensation framework for court reporters, with a projected median annual salary of $67,228 in 2026. This figure reflects a notable gap when compared to the national median of $74,788, highlighting the unique dynamics of the local job market. Salaries range from $38,992 at the 10th percentile to $104,203 at the 90th percentile, indicating a diverse pay scale dependent on experience and type of employment. As demand for court reporters remains strong, driven by factors such as a consistent court system and growing engagement with freelance reporting, the opportunities and earnings associated with this profession in Cedar Rapids continue to evolve.
About the Cedar Rapids Market
Salary estimated from Iowa average ($58,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $38,992 | $18.74 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $48,404 | $23.27 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $67,228 | $32.32 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $86,052 | $41.37 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $104,203 | $50.10 |
Median Salary Position
10.11% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Cedar Rapids
In Cedar Rapids, IA, the court reporter salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $65,211 (2026 est.). At $67,228, the local median is 10.11% below the national median of $74,788.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Cedar Rapids: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Cedar Rapids Court Reporter Pay Compares
Cedar Rapids median: $67,228/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Cedar Rapids Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Average | $67,634 | -0.60% less |
| National Average | $74,788 | -10.11% less |
Court Reporters in Cedar Rapids, IA earn a median of $67,228 per year (2026 est.), which is 10.11% lower than the national median of $74,788 and 0.60% below the Iowa state average of $67,634.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Cedar Rapids has a cost of living 9.60% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Cedar Rapids, IA has a cost-of-living index of 90.4 (below the national average of 100). A court reporter earning $67,228 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $74,367 in an average-cost city — an effective 10.62% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$54,051
2025 BLS Actual
$65,099
2026 Current Est.
$67,228
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Salary Trajectory for Court Reporters in Cedar Rapids (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $54,051 | Actual |
| 2020 | $55,427 | Actual |
| 2021 | $54,276 | Actual |
| 2022 | $57,135 | Actual |
| 2023 | $57,476 | Actual |
| 2024 | $52,137 | Actual |
| 2025 | $65,099 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $67,228 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $69,426 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area, the median court reporter salary grew 20.4% from $54,051 (2019) to $65,099 (2025). At a 3.27% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $69,426 by 2027 — a total increase of $15,375 (28.45%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Cedar Rapids 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.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $38,992 – $48,404 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $48,404 – $67,228 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $67,228 – $86,052 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $86,052 – $104,203 |
CR salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual court reporter compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Court Reporter Job Market in Cedar Rapids
Currently, 22 court reporters operate in Cedar Rapids, where the cost of living index stands at 90.4. This below-average rating means that while salaries are lower than the national median, the effective purchasing power remains relatively stable for professionals in the area. Most court reporters in Cedar Rapids engage in freelance work, with compensation heavily influenced by firm contracts, page rates, and the urgency of services provided. Earnings can greatly vary—freelance rates span from $3 to $8 per page, while those specializing in real-time reporting or CART services can command between $150 and $300 per hour. To maximize income potential, aspiring court reporters should focus on gaining certifications such as RPR or CRR and consider the expanding opportunities in real-time captioning, as this specialty continues to command the highest premiums in Cedar Rapids' evolving market.
More salary data for Cedar Rapids, IA:
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
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $65,099 for court reportersin the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area. A 3.27% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Salary data for Cedar Rapids 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