Can you believe us when we say there are high-paying jobs out there that do not require a bachelor’s degree? Dabbling in remote court reporter jobs can provide you a six-figure salary with no need for a college education. Our top-performing court reporters can earn over a hundred grand annually without going through the whole collegiate experience.
This is certainly great news for people who feel that tertiary academic life is not fit for their personality. At times, college is also just not an option because it is too expensive. Unfortunately, not everyone has the funds to pay for schooling. Thankfully, careers like remote court reporter jobs make it possible for you to earn a decent wage without getting into debt for your college tuition.
As a result, you don’t have to get into massive student loans that can haunt you for the rest of your life. Now, many people question the value of getting a degree that saddles you with hundreds of thousands of debt. Thankfully, training for a high-paying profession like remote court reporter jobs doesn’t break the bank. It is an excellent job that offers great compensation. Find out more about his career below:
The Flexibility With Remote Court Reporting Jobs
The typical court reporter serves an indispensable part in legal proceedings. If you enter this profession, you document what goes on inside trials, depositions, arbitrations, etc. As a result, you play an important part in the administration of justice. Judges, lawyers, jurors, and other pertinent parties rely on your documents to find the truth and ensure justice prevails.
However, the court reporting profession does not mean you are limited to litigation or the courtroom setting. Although court reporters serve a critical role in the carriage of justice, you can explore other options. Being a court reporter provides opportunities, especially if you go freelance.
Many who opt for remote court reporter jobs earn a lot of money because they are not employed by just one unit. Instead, they are their own boss, and their setup is akin to running a business. Their various clients pay them for their special skills, which no ordinary worker can provide. For these reasons, there’s a premium payment for people in this profession.
If you choose remote court reporter jobs, you can take on different projects such as:
- Transcribing for business meetings
- Closed captioning for media outfits
- Providing scripts for live concerts and sporting events
- Doing subtitle work for movies and TV dramas
- Providing personal assistance for the hard of hearing
The Potential to Grow in this Profession
The NCRA or National Court Reporters Association president noted that 15% of the people in their industry are set to retire. Many veteran court reporters have reached retirement age. Unfortunately, there are not enough new graduates to replace their roles.
For one, not many people are aware this career still exists. It is not among the list of popular career choices. Secondly, many high school graduates do not enroll in this course, thinking it will be too expensive. And finally, some who have enrolled in the program fail to finish their training for various reasons.
If you are one of the lucky ones who pursue training to enjoy the benefits of remote court reporter jobs, you are poised for growth. In the next three to five years, 5,500 plus positions will become vacant as older court reporters retire. As a result, the demand for this job will increase while the supply of new reporters remains limited.
And as the law of supply and demand dictates, you can command a higher salary base when there is scarcity. This is a clear indicator that you have plenty of room to grow in this profession. If you do not want to be employed in a typical setup, opt for remote court reporter jobs to become your own boss instead.
The Training Involved to Earn Certifications
Although you don’t need an expensive college degree to apply for remote court reporter jobs, you still need to attend training. You can take an associate’s degree in a community college or opt for an online certificate program. Here’s what you need to do to get practice in this profession:
1. Choose Your Program
Different schools categorize the court reporting program. You can choose multiple paths based on your interest. The primary ones are:
- Judicial Reporting: This is the standard and oldest program meant for transcription of court proceedings, hearings, depositions, etc.
- Broadcast or Closed Captioning: Often involves live feed for real-time events, usually for broadcasting companies.
- Cart: This acronym stands for Communication Access Realtime Reporting, a special captioning service for the deaf community or those hard of hearing.
Meanwhile, other schools divide the training program into two, and these are:
- Court reporting stenography: This utilizes a stenotype machine or computer to perform the above-mentioned services.
- Court reporter voice writing: This uses a steno mask device, where the reporter’s voice feeds the voice recognition and translation software on a computer.
2. Enroll in the Court Reporting School
If you are serious about doing remote court reporter jobs in the future, you must enroll in a program. Tech schools, community colleges, or court reporter schools offer this. Since the advent of tech, online programs have also existed.
Some schools offer an associate degree, taking added general education subjects. Notably, programs are a lot cheaper than a college education. You can already attain a court reporting certificate for one-semester tuition in a private college. To prepare for schooling, you need the following:
- Finish your secondary education
- Take an entrance test
- Have a good command of English
- Exemplify good moral character
If you are serious about pursuing remote court reporter jobs, you must also invest in your own stenotype machine. This costs around $200, depending on the brand. You may also need to buy or rent a computerized model writer. A new one can cost around two grand while used models can be found for $400. Additionally, you may also need to purchase special software for the computer writer
3. Finish the Program Curriculum
As a potential court reporter, you must study hard to get the remote court reporter jobs you desire in the future. Hence, you need to learn steno theory, machine shorthand, transcription, and court reporting techniques.
Noteworthy, you can only pass if you have achieved 95% accuracy for all your dictation tests. You must also complete all the requirements in the following areas:
- English grammar
- Punctuation
- Spelling
- Legal and medical jargon
- Transcription techniques
- Court reporting procedures
- Legal studies
- CART
- Shorthand
- Captioning
- Preparation of transcripts
- Word processing
Take note: if you do a program accredited by the NCRA, you become eligible for the RPR or registered professional reporter designation by the time you finish the course. Today, 22 states recognize this.
4. Consider Doing an Internship
Although you do not have to do an internship, opting for one allows you to test your school skills. This will allow you to prepare for your future remote court reporter jobs.
When you do an internship, you work under the tutelage of a veteran reporter. As a result, you gain new skills and knowledge in a professional setting. Think about the location of your prospective internship, as remote court reporter jobs can occur in many different environments. If you want to specialize in depositions and trials, a courthouse makes sense.
5. Think About Licensing Requirements
In our beloved Sunshine State, the government does not require a license to practice court reporting. However, the FCRA or Florida Court Reporters Association offers the Florida Professional Reporters Certification. Since state licensing is not mandated, this has been a de facto requirement to work in courts. Having an RPR is also accepted in many states in lieu of a licensing exam. Notably, you must possess these minimum skills with 95% accuracy:
- Q&A testimony- 225 words per minute
- Jury charge- 200 words per minute
- Literary- 180 words per minute
Typical court reporting students love words, languages, seeing people, and multitasking. You must have a keen attention to detail and work under pressure. Often, you will have to transcribe words with many people talking simultaneously. But fret not, because you will be rewarded handsomely for your skills.
This Career is Here to Stay No Matter What
The need for remote court reporters continues to grow, especially now that many veterans are set to retire. For this reason, you will find the median salary at $57,200 for beginners. If you do freelance work and take training, you can earn more than $100K in a year. Let’s not forget the benefits, too.
This career is perfect for high school graduates, professionals dissatisfied with their current careers, or others looking to start afresh. People from all backgrounds are welcome just as long as you have the skills. As a court reporter, your days will be exciting and different because you will deal with various things every day.
If you feel worried that technology like Siri will make this career obsolete, think again. Voice recognition cannot replace human subscribers because it cannot understand accents or ask for clarifications. It also cannot decipher many people speaking at the same time, nor can it strike something off the record. In the 80s, people said the tape recorder would be the death of our career. But we are all still here surviving and thriving.
