High Demand, Great Pay, Potential for Fabulous Benefits and Growth
DMACC's new Court Reporting program prepares students for a variety of careers that require real-time writing skills to convert the spoken word to text via computer-aided transcription.
The many situations that require verbatim record of what was said--notably judicial proceedings but including many others—have put skilled, dependable court reporters in high demand across the country. With many court reporters retiring in the next few years, the anticipated shortage of these professionals will create even more opportunities for new DMACC graduates.
The average national annual median salary is $62,000 with the top 10% earning over $100,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the career outlook is “Much faster than average,” with projected job growth of at least 9 percent through 2029.
DMACC Court Reporting: Exceptional Facilities, Equipment and Instruction
Based at our Newton Campus, DMACC's new program is the only one of its kind in Iowa. It was developed during a year of collaboration with the Iowa Court Reporters Association and Iowa Bar Association.
As with all DMACC programs, Court Reporting students will learn on the same equipment used by current
professionals, and will be taught by credentialed instructors with real-world experience.
Some of the required skills for Court Reporting include:
- Strong Vocabulary, Grammar & Editing Skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to focus for extended periods
- Precision, speed and accuracy
DMACC will also work with students to place them in paid internship positions.
Work for Yourself or Others
Skilled court reporters have many job options.
They can work directly for judges, judicial systems, law firms or freelance court reporting entities that often require written records of meetings.
Some become independent contractors or even manage their own businesses, employing others who share their skills.
