Court Reporter Salary in Virginia Beach, VA: $57,015 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time court reporter in Virginia Beach, VA earns a median $57,015/year (≈ $27.41/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 27-3092). Once you factor in Virginia Beach's price level (2% below national, BEA RPP 97.9), that paycheck buys what $58,214 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 26.1% below the Virginia state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In 2026, the average court reporter salary in Virginia Beach is projected to be $57,015. This figure is notably lower than the national median of $74,788, establishing a significant disparity for those pursuing this career in VA. Court reporters in the area can expect salaries ranging from a minimum of $38,840 to a maximum of $75,170, depending largely on their skills, experience, and workload. Earnings in this profession are notably influenced by the volume of deposition work and the per-page rates that freelance court reporters can command. According to estimates based on 2025 BLS OEWS data, projected to 2026, successful court reporters in Virginia Beach have opportunities for substantial earnings, shaped by the demand for their services.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $38,840 | $18.67 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $39,459 | $18.97 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $57,015 | $27.41 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $64,027 | $30.78 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $75,170 | $36.14 |
Median Salary Position
23.76% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Virginia Beach
In Virginia Beach, VA, the court reporter salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $36,330 (2026 est.). At $57,015, the local median is 23.76% below the national median of $74,788.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Virginia Beach: You'd be above the median
How Virginia Beach Court Reporter Pay Compares
Virginia Beach median: $57,015/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Virginia Beach Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Average | $77,152 | -26.10% less |
| National Average | $74,788 | -23.76% less |
Court Reporters in Virginia Beach, VA earn a median of $57,015 per year (2026 est.), which is 23.76% lower than the national median of $74,788 and 26.10% below the Virginia state average of $77,152.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Virginia Beach has a cost of living 2.06% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Virginia Beach, VA has a cost-of-living index of 97.941 (below the national average of 100). A court reporter earning $57,015 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $58,214 in an average-cost city — an effective 2.1% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$45,841
2025 BLS Actual
$55,210
2026 Current Est.
$57,015
2019–2027 Growth
+28.4%
Salary Trajectory for Court Reporters in Virginia Beach (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.27% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $45,841 | Actual |
| 2020 | $47,007 | Actual |
| 2021 | $40,110 | Actual |
| 2022 | $48,456 | Actual |
| 2023 | $48,745 | Actual |
| 2024 | $52,100 | Actual |
| 2025 | $55,210 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $57,015 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $58,880 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Virginia Beach metropolitan area, the median court reporter salary grew 20.4% from $45,841 (2019) to $55,210 (2025). At a 3.27% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $58,880 by 2027 — a total increase of $13,039 (28.44%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Virginia Beach 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) | $38,840 – $39,459 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $39,459 – $57,015 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $57,015 – $64,027 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $64,027 – $75,170 |
CR salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual court reporter compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Court Reporter Job Market in Virginia Beach
The local job market for court reporters shows a stable presence, with around 60 professionals currently employed in Virginia Beach. However, with a cost of living index at 97.941, the take-home salaries of court reporters are impacted, providing them with buying power slightly below the national average. This environment offers varied opportunities regarding employer types—whether working as freelancers through firms like Veritext and US Legal Support or as official state court system employees. The pay range varies significantly, driven by factors such as freelance per-page rates, which are typically between $3 and $8 depending on the urgency and turnaround needed. Those specializing in realtime transcription and CART services can earn premiums of up to $300 per hour for live-captioning events. To maximize earnings, court reporters in Virginia Beach should focus on building strong relationships with legal firms and exploring specialization options that align with local demand, especially given the ongoing shortage within the court reporting profession, as reported by NCRA.
More salary data for Virginia Beach, VA:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can court reporters make $100K in Virginia Beach?
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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 $55,210 for court reportersin the Virginia Beach 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
Source: BLS, OEWS, 3-year dataset (–). 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