Court Reporter Salary in Grand Forks, ND: $69,193 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time court reporter in Grand Forks, ND earns a median $69,193/year (≈ $33.26/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Once you factor in Grand Forks's price level (8% below national, BEA RPP 92.0), that paycheck buys what $75,210 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 0.6% above the North Dakota state average.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
In Grand Forks, ND, the court reporter salary in 2026 is projected to be around $69,193 annually, placing it approximately 7.48% below the national median of $74,788. As with much of the country, salaries can vary widely in this field which sees a full salary range from $40,132 at the lower end (P10) to $107,249 at the higher end (P90). These figures represent local estimates based on 2025 BLS data, adjusted for regional cost factors. In Grand Forks, the division between freelance court reporters and those employed officially by state or federal courts plays a significant role in determining income levels, with freelance work often yielding higher per-page rates, especially for real-time captioning services.
About the Grand Forks Market
Salary estimated from North Dakota average ($54,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $40,132 | $19.29 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $50,272 | $24.17 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $69,193 | $33.26 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $88,567 | $42.58 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $107,249 | $51.56 |
Median Salary Position
7.48% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Grand Forks
In Grand Forks, ND, the court reporter salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $67,117 (2026 est.). At $69,193, the local median is 7.48% below the national median of $74,788.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Grand Forks: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Grand Forks Court Reporter Pay Compares
Grand Forks median: $69,193/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Grand Forks Pays |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Average | $68,780 | +0.60% more |
| National Average | $74,788 | -7.48% less |
Court Reporters in Grand Forks, ND earn a median of $69,193 per year (2026 est.), which is 7.48% lower than the national median of $74,788 and 0.60% above the North Dakota state average of $68,780.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Grand Forks has a cost of living 8.00% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Grand Forks, ND has a cost-of-living index of 92 (below the national average of 100). A court reporter earning $69,193 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $75,210 in an average-cost city — an effective 8.7% 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
$55,631
2025 BLS Actual
$67,002
2026 Current Est.
$69,193
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Salary Trajectory for Court Reporters in Grand Forks (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $55,631 | Actual |
| 2020 | $57,047 | Actual |
| 2021 | $55,863 | Actual |
| 2022 | $58,805 | Actual |
| 2023 | $59,156 | Actual |
| 2024 | $49,960 | Actual |
| 2025 | $67,002 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $69,193 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $71,456 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Grand Forks metropolitan area, the median court reporter salary grew 20.4% from $55,631 (2019) to $67,002 (2025). At a 3.27% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $71,456 by 2027 — a total increase of $15,825 (28.45%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Grand Forks 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) | $40,132 – $50,272 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $50,272 – $69,193 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $69,193 – $88,567 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $88,567 – $107,249 |
CR salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual court reporter compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Court Reporter Job Market in Grand Forks
Currently, the local job market for court reporters in Grand Forks includes 14 employed professionals, facing a moderately competitive landscape in a city with a cost of living index at 92. This lower index means that take-home pay has greater purchasing power here compared to many national averages. The highest paying opportunities are typically found with federal court reporters and freelance captioners, with the latter often benefiting from lucrative per-page rates that can range significantly based on turnaround urgency, while those specializing in realtime or CART services can charge premium rates. To optimize earnings in this market, court reporters should focus on building a robust freelance clientele, particularly through firms specializing in legal reporting, as well as pursuing certification routes such as the RPR or CRR to enhance their qualifications and marketability in a field facing chronic workforce shortages.
More salary data for Grand Forks, ND:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do court reporters make in Grand Forks, ND in 2026?
Is Grand Forks, ND a good place to work as a court reporter?
Can court reporters make $100K in Grand Forks?
What is the cost-of-living adjusted court reporter salary in Grand Forks?
How much does a court reporter make per hour in Grand Forks?
Related Pages
Compare Salaries
Career Resources
Nearby Cities in North Dakota
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 $67,002 for court reportersin the Grand Forks 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 Grand Forks 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