Court Reporter Salary in Garner, NC: $67,154 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time court reporter in Garner, NC earns a median $67,154/year (≈ $32.28/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Once you factor in Garner's price level (6% below national, BEA RPP 93.6), that paycheck buys what $71,746 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 4.1% below the North Carolina state average.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
Court reporters in Garner, North Carolina, can expect a median annual salary of $67,154 in 2026, which is about 10.21% lower than the national median of $74,788 for the same year. The salary range for court reporters in the area is projected to span from $41,794 at the 10th percentile to $104,089 at the 90th percentile. These figures, derived from BLS state-level data and adjusted for regional price variances, reflect the local context of the court reporting profession. As the demand for real-time reporting and CART services increases, those who achieve RPR or CRR credentials can command higher earnings, significantly impacting their court reporter pay in Garner, NC.
About the Garner Market
Salary estimated from North Carolina average ($55,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $41,794 | $20.10 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $51,438 | $24.73 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $67,154 | $32.28 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $85,958 | $41.33 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $104,089 | $50.04 |
Median Salary Position
10.21% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Garner
In Garner, NC, the court reporter salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $62,295 (2026 est.). At $67,154, the local median is 10.21% below the national median of $74,788.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Garner: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Garner Court Reporter Pay Compares
Garner median: $67,154/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Garner Pays |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Average | $70,025 | -4.10% less |
| National Average | $74,788 | -10.21% less |
Court Reporters in Garner, NC earn a median of $67,154 per year (2026 est.), which is 10.21% lower than the national median of $74,788 and 4.10% below the North Carolina state average of $70,025.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Garner has a cost of living 6.40% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Garner, NC has a cost-of-living index of 93.6 (below the national average of 100). A court reporter earning $67,154 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $71,746 in an average-cost city — an effective 6.84% boost.
Compare Purchasing Power
Select a city to see how your salary compares after cost of living
Select a city above to compare purchasing power
2019 BLS Actual
$53,992
2025 BLS Actual
$65,028
2026 Current Est.
$67,154
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Salary Trajectory for Court Reporters in Garner (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $53,992 | Actual |
| 2020 | $55,366 | Actual |
| 2021 | $54,217 | Actual |
| 2022 | $57,072 | Actual |
| 2023 | $57,414 | Actual |
| 2024 | $49,386 | Actual |
| 2025 | $65,028 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $67,154 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $69,350 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Garner metropolitan area, the median court reporter salary grew 20.4% from $53,992 (2019) to $65,028 (2025). At a 3.27% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $69,350 by 2027 — a total increase of $15,358 (28.44%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Garner 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) | $41,794 – $51,438 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $51,438 – $67,154 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $67,154 – $85,958 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $85,958 – $104,089 |
CR salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual court reporter compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Court Reporter Job Market in Garner
The local job market for court reporters in Garner is modest, with only four professionals employed in the area, which speaks to a workforce that is in chronic shortage—a trend recognized by the NCRA. The cost-of-living index in Garner is 93.6, indicating a lower living expense than the national average, which can affect purchasing power positively. Among various roles available, freelance court reporters typically earn the most, with per-page transcript rates ranging from $3 to $8, particularly when factoring in the premium for real-time services, which can charge between $150 and $300 per hour. This makes opportunities in CART and broadcast captioning especially lucrative. Understanding the local employment landscape while focusing on growing specialties can be critical for maximizing court reporter salary in Garner and ensuring competitiveness in a changing field where digital solutions are increasingly prevalent.
More salary data for Garner, NC:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do court reporters make in Garner, NC in 2026?
Is Garner, NC a good place to work as a court reporter?
Can court reporters make $100K in Garner?
What is the cost-of-living adjusted court reporter salary in Garner?
How much does a court reporter make per hour in Garner?
Related Pages
Compare Salaries
Career Resources
Nearby Cities in North Carolina
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 $65,028 for court reportersin the Garner 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 Garner 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