Court Reporting Certification
Court reporting is a fantastic career with amazing earning potential and many opportunities to work as much or as little as fits your schedule. Court reporters type word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Most court reporters work in courts or legislatures. Some work from home or a central office to provide broadcast captioning for television stations or for individuals who are hard of hearing.
With a Court Reporting Certificate, you will be qualified for positions that include:
- Official court reporter
- Freelance court reporter
- Closed captioner
- Communication Access Realtime Translation(CART) provider
Ready to get started?
Reach out to us at 918-595-7200.
Average Salary
Starting salaries begin at approximately $59,090/year1 nationally. Employment for court reporters is expected to grow 7 percent from 2018 - 2028, faster than the average for all occupations.
1Source: LightcastTM, accessed [September 01, 2022].
Scholarships Available
Book reimbursement, equipment loans, and tuition assistance scholarships are available for students interested in working in rural Oklahoma. An application is required. Call 918-595-7200 to apply.
Training and Certification
- 18-month program for primary work; learners usually require additional Speed Building training to meet industry standard WPM
- 6 modules over 66 weeks; each module is comprised of 3 submodules; each submodule is 3 to 4 weeks in length
- Training focuses on high accuracy and speed intervals of 180, 200, and 225 words per minute
Tuition, Books, & Software
This program is not eligible for federal financial aid (FAFSA). On a monthly average, tuition is $355/submodule, for an approximate total program cost of $6,400. Total program cost can vary depending on how quickly you progress through the speed-building portion of the course, as there may be the need for speed-building classes after the program end to gain sufficient hand speed to qualify to sit for the state test. These classes will be offered at a reduced monthly rate once all theory modules are completed.
Required Materials
Stenographic Machine
The machine needs to be real-time ready - very important. Must include the wide asterisk and wide DZ keys (can be a student or professional model). student stenographic machines will range anywhere in price from $300 to $1600; stenographic machine rentals are available for an average of $55/month. The stenographic machine must be attached to a laptop (No Apple products).
How does the stenograph machine's design set me up for the most success in improving my speed?
- 22 keys
- phonetic spelling system
- left hand = initial consonant
- right hand = ending consonant
- entire words typed at the same time
Computer
Windows-based laptop with the following minimum specifications:
- Processor speed of 2GHz or higher (an Intel i3, i7, or AMD equivalent is recommended)
- 40 GB hard drive with at least 20 GB of free space (80 GB hard drive is recommended)