Court Reporter Salary in New Jersey: $80,295 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across New Jersey's 61 metropolitan areas, the average median court reporter pay sits at $80,295/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 27-3092. Because New Jersey sits at BEA RPP 115.2 (15% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $69,701 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Jersey City ($91,778), Newark ($90,364), East Orange ($78,164).

Court Reporter Salary in New Jersey - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — New Jersey court reporter salary overview (2026)

$80,295

Avg Median Salary

$38.60

Avg Hourly Rate

841

Metro Employed

Cities

In 2026, the average median salary for court reporters in New Jersey is projected to be $80,296, which is 7.4% higher than the national median of $74,788. This reflects the state’s enhanced demand for skilled reporting professionals. The salary range across different cities in New Jersey can vary significantly, with the highest paying city, Jersey City, offering $94,779, and the lowest, Summit, at $74,201. This $20,578 difference may be influenced by factors such as the cost of living, local demand for court reporting, and regional economic conditions. New Jersey’s licensing requirements and scope of practice laws also play a critical role in shaping the job market. These standards can lead to a higher level of professionalism within the field, influencing employer expectations and salary offerings. The total employment for court reporters in the state is projected at 841, with an expected growth rate of 3.27% annually, indicating steady demand in the coming years. Major metropolitan areas like Newark and East Orange also present solid salaries, with Newark at $93,319 and East Orange at $80,720, reinforcing the state's diverse opportunities for court reporters across urban environments.

New Jersey Court Reporter Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$47,712

avg across 61 cities

Median

$80,295

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$124,458

avg across 61 cities

Overall salary range in New Jersey: $44,251 (lowest entry-level) to $146,908 (highest top earner)

New Jersey vs National Average

New Jersey

$80,295

National Median

$74,788

New Jersey court reporters earn 7.36% more than the national median (+$5,507/year difference).

New Jersey Court Reporter Salary Distribution (2026)

Court Reporter salaries in New Jersey range from $47,712 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $124,458 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $80,295. The New Jersey median is $5,507 above the US national median of $74,788. The average hourly rate is $38.60/hr. Approximately 841 court reporters are employed across 61 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$64,558

2025 BLS Actual

$77,753

2026 Current Est.

$80,295

2019–2027 Growth

+28.4%

Salary Trajectory for Court Reporters in New Jersey (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$64,558	Actual
2020	$66,200	Actual
2021	$64,826	Actual
2022	$68,240	Actual
2023	$68,648	Actual
2024	$85,793	Actual
2025	$77,753	Actual
2026(current)	$80,295	Estimated
2027	$82,921	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the New Jersey metropolitan area, the median court reporter salary grew 20.4% from $64,558 (2019) to $77,753 (2025). At a 3.27% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $82,921 by 2027 — a total increase of $18,363 (28.44%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the New Jersey 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.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in New Jersey

Jersey City

42 employed · $45.56/hr

$94,779

+18.04% vs avg

Newark

61 employed · $44.86/hr

$93,319

+16.22% vs avg

East Orange

9 employed · $38.81/hr

$80,720

+0.53% vs avg

Franklin

15 employed · $38.81/hr

$80,720

+0.53% vs avg

Woodbridge

25 employed · $38.80/hr

$80,697

+0.50% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in New Jersey

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Summit	$74,201	-7.59%	$35.67
Rahway	$75,320	-6.20%	$36.21
Camden	$75,361	-6.14%	$36.23
Evesham	$75,654	-5.78%	$36.37
Egg Harbor	$75,765	-5.64%	$36.42

Best Value Cities for Court Reporters in New Jersey

When adjusted for local cost of living, these New Jersey cities offer the most purchasing power for court reporters.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Jersey City	$94,779	115.2	$82,273
Newark	$93,319	115.2	$81,006
East Orange	$80,720	115.2	$70,069
Franklin	$80,720	115.2	$70,069
Woodbridge	$80,697	115.2	$70,049

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in New Jersey

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$47,712	$22.94	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$80,295	$38.60	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$124,458	$59.84	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across New Jersey metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 61 Cities in New Jersey

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Jersey City	$94,779	$45.56	$54,972	$146,908	42
2	Newark	$93,319	$44.86	$54,125	$144,644	61
3	East Orange	$80,720	$38.81	$47,129	$125,116	9
4	Franklin	$80,720	$38.81	$47,129	$125,116	15
5	Woodbridge	$80,697	$38.80	$46,804	$125,081	25
6	Parsippany-Troy Hills	$80,582	$38.74	$46,737	$124,902	8
7	Union	$80,379	$38.64	$46,620	$124,588	15
8	Elizabeth	$80,350	$38.63	$48,836	$124,543	25
9	Brick	$80,184	$38.55	$46,507	$124,285	18
10	Gloucester Township	$79,957	$38.44	$46,375	$123,933	10
11	New Brunswick	$79,926	$38.43	$46,357	$123,885	8
12	Vineland	$79,793	$38.36	$46,279	$123,678	11
13	Howell	$79,660	$38.30	$46,203	$123,474	11
14	Paterson	$79,565	$38.25	$47,461	$123,326	31
15	Plainfield	$79,471	$38.21	$46,094	$123,180	10
16	Irvington	$79,352	$38.15	$46,024	$122,995	10
17	West New York	$79,232	$38.10	$45,954	$122,810	10
18	Piscataway	$79,175	$38.07	$45,921	$122,721	14
19	Jackson	$79,131	$38.04	$45,896	$122,653	10
20	Lakewood	$78,998	$37.98	$46,251	$122,447	31
21	West Orange	$78,953	$37.96	$47,294	$122,377	11
22	Montclair	$78,836	$37.90	$46,694	$122,196	10
23	Princeton	$78,768	$37.87	$46,871	$122,091	6
24	Washington Township	$78,712	$37.84	$46,413	$122,004	12
25	Old Bridge	$78,683	$37.83	$48,901	$121,960	17
26	Edison	$78,562	$37.77	$45,566	$121,771	20
27	Union City	$78,525	$37.76	$48,632	$121,714	17
28	Toms River	$78,501	$37.75	$48,576	$121,676	17
29	Bridgewater	$78,410	$37.69	$45,727	$121,535	10
30	Middletown	$78,387	$37.68	$48,325	$121,500	15
31	Trenton	$78,286	$37.64	$48,103	$121,343	21
32	Clifton	$78,148	$37.57	$47,797	$121,128	14
33	South Brunswick	$78,008	$37.51	$45,245	$120,913	7
34	Berkeley	$78,002	$37.50	$45,242	$120,903	7
35	Perth Amboy	$77,990	$37.50	$47,452	$120,884	13
36	Wayne	$77,964	$37.49	$47,396	$120,843	10
37	Linden	$77,952	$37.48	$45,213	$120,826	7
38	Passaic	$77,933	$37.47	$47,327	$120,796	18
39	East Brunswick	$77,903	$37.46	$45,184	$120,749	8
40	Bloomfield	$77,738	$37.37	$46,900	$120,493	11
41	Long Branch	$77,687	$37.35	$45,059	$120,415	8
42	Westfield	$77,470	$37.25	$44,933	$120,078	7
43	Hamilton	$77,391	$37.21	$46,067	$119,955	21
44	Sayreville	$77,366	$37.20	$44,872	$119,917	9
45	Cherry Hill	$77,352	$37.19	$45,747	$119,896	11
46	North Bergen	$77,214	$37.13	$45,764	$119,682	13
47	Hoboken	$77,145	$37.08	$44,744	$119,574	15
48	Kearny	$77,026	$37.03	$49,239	$119,390	11
49	Manalapan	$76,958	$37.00	$49,084	$119,285	8
50	Bayonne	$76,879	$36.96	$45,044	$119,163	16
51	Atlantic City	$76,871	$36.96	$48,887	$119,150	6
52	Manchester	$76,704	$36.88	$48,264	$118,891	9
53	Moorestown	$76,403	$36.73	$46,957	$118,425	4
54	Hackensack	$76,401	$36.73	$47,903	$118,422	8
55	Marlboro	$76,006	$36.54	$46,932	$117,808	9
56	Mount Laurel	$75,951	$36.52	$46,808	$117,724	11
57	Egg Harbor	$75,765	$36.42	$46,474	$117,436	8
58	Evesham	$75,654	$36.37	$46,226	$117,263	12
59	Camden	$75,361	$36.23	$44,251	$116,810	16
60	Rahway	$75,320	$36.21	$45,406	$116,746	9
61	Summit	$74,201	$35.67	$48,281	$115,011	5

More New Jersey Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore court reporter hourly pay in New Jersey cities.

Jersey City →Newark →East Orange →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new court reporters.

Jersey City →Newark →East Orange →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced court reporters.

Jersey City →Newark →East Orange →

Explore More Court Reporter Salary Data

National OverviewMedian salary & full US data Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay & new grad earnings Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates & part-time income Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do court reporters make in New Jersey in 2026?

The average median court reporter salary in New Jersey is $80,295/year across 61 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $74,201 in Summit to $94,779 in Jersey City. This makes New Jersey one of the higher-paying states, at 7.36% above the national median of $74,788. The state employs approximately 841 court reporters.

What is the highest paying city for court reporters in New Jersey?

Jersey City offers the highest court reporter salary in New Jersey at $94,779/year ($45.56/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Jersey City ($94,779), Newark ($93,319), East Orange ($80,720). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for court reporting services, and competition among employers for licensed court reporters.

How does New Jersey court reporter pay compare to the national average?

New Jersey's average court reporter salary of $80,295 is 7.36% above the national median of $74,788 in 2026. The state employs approximately 841 court reporters across 61 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level court reporter salary in New Jersey?

Entry-level court reporters (10th percentile) in New Jersey earn approximately $47,712/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $44,251 in lower-paying areas to $54,972 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many court reporters are employed in New Jersey?

New Jersey employs approximately 841 court reporters across 61 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. The smaller workforce means positions may be less competitive but also fewer in number. Demand continues to grow as the court reporting field expands and the population ages.

Which New Jersey city offers the best value for court reporters?

When adjusted for cost of living, Jersey City offers the highest purchasing power for court reporters in New Jersey, with an adjusted salary of $82,273 (nominal: $94,779, CoL index: 115.2). This means your dollar goes 13% less far compared to the national average, making it important to negotiate higher base pay.

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.

Clinically reviewed by John Patel, CCRData verified by Aisha Ali, RMR

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide 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. A 3.27% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 court reporter compensation across New Jersey. State averages are employment-weighted across 61 metro areas — larger metro areas with more court reporterscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 2-year dataset (2024–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

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

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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