Court Reporter Salary in Mason City, IA: $64,009 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time court reporter in Mason City, IA earns a median $64,009/year (≈ $30.77/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Once you factor in Mason City's price level (10% below national, BEA RPP 90.4), that paycheck buys what $70,806 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 5.3% below the Iowa state average.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
In Mason City, Iowa, court reporters can expect a median annual salary of $64,009, falling into a range from $38,739 at the lowest decile to $99,214 at the highest. These figures are projections for 2026, derived from 2025 BLS data and adjusted for regional price parity. A significant structural divide exists between freelance and official court reporters, with freelancers often earning based on page counts while official reporters typically receive a fixed salary through state or federal systems. Given the competitive nature of the job market in Mason City, where only four court reporters are currently employed, individuals entering this profession should be aware of the factors impacting compensation in their local environment.
About the Mason City Market
Salary estimated from Iowa average ($58,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $38,739 | $18.62 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $48,017 | $23.08 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $64,009 | $30.77 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $81,931 | $39.39 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $99,214 | $47.70 |
Median Salary Position
14.41% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Mason City
In Mason City, IA, the court reporter salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $60,475 (2026 est.). At $64,009, the local median is 14.41% below the national median of $74,788.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Mason City: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Mason City Court Reporter Pay Compares
Mason City median: $64,009/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Mason City Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Average | $67,591 | -5.30% less |
| National Average | $74,788 | -14.41% less |
Court Reporters in Mason City, IA earn a median of $64,009 per year (2026 est.), which is 14.41% lower than the national median of $74,788 and 5.30% below the Iowa state average of $67,591.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Mason City 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.
Mason City, IA has a cost-of-living index of 90.4 (below the national average of 100). A court reporter earning $64,009 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $70,806 in an average-cost city — an effective 10.62% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$51,463
2025 BLS Actual
$61,982
2026 Current Est.
$64,009
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Salary Trajectory for Court Reporters in Mason City (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $51,463 | Actual |
| 2020 | $52,773 | Actual |
| 2021 | $51,677 | Actual |
| 2022 | $54,399 | Actual |
| 2023 | $54,724 | Actual |
| 2024 | $49,640 | Actual |
| 2025 | $61,982 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $64,009 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $66,102 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Mason City metropolitan area, the median court reporter salary grew 20.4% from $51,463 (2019) to $61,982 (2025). At a 3.27% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $66,102 by 2027 — a total increase of $14,639 (28.45%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Mason City 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) | $38,739 – $48,017 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $48,017 – $64,009 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $64,009 – $81,931 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $81,931 – $99,214 |
CR salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual court reporter compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Court Reporter Job Market in Mason City
The job market for court reporters in Mason City reflects the overall cost of living index, which stands at 90.4, indicating a lower-than-average cost of living compared to national standards. This reality can positively influence take-home purchasing power, which is crucial for new entrants in the field. Most earnings are concentrated among freelance and independent court reporters who negotiate per-page rates, differing significantly from the salaries of official court reporters employed by the state or federal systems. The variation in pay is driven by factors such as the speed of transcription, type of reporting service (like CART and broadcast captioning), and workload volumes. To optimize earnings, aspiring court reporters in Mason City should focus on developing realtime skills, as those in the CART and broadcast captioning sectors often command higher hourly rates. Networking with local firms such as Veritext and taking advantage of the ongoing demand for skilled court reporters can also enhance compensation opportunities.
More salary data for Mason City, 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 $61,982 for court reportersin the Mason City 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 Mason City 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