According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects for court reporters should be quite good, especially for those who earn certification or who specialize in an area such as broadcast captioning, webcasting or Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART). High school students considering this career option might get a head start by taking courses in business and government and by learning computer skills.
Educational programs for court reporting vary. The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) certifies court reporting programs that meet their standards. Most programs are offered as two-year associate's degree programs. Shorter certificate programs are also widely available and a few schools offer bachelor's degree programs in court reporting.
Some programs offer a focus, such as broadcast captioning, Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) reporting or judicial reporting. NCRA-certified programs all offer courses in stenotype computer-aided transcription and real-time reporting. Other course topics might include legal or medical terminology, machine shorthand and transcription. Most programs require students to be able to capture a minimum of 225 words per minute, which is a requirement for employment with the federal government.
Licensing requirements for court reporters vary by state and may vary by the type of recording. Some states require a licensing exam or require the Certified Court Reporter (CCR) designation. Other states use certification by the National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA) as their licensing standard. Additionally, some states require court reporters to be notary publics.
Certification is offered in various areas by several professional organizations. The NVRA offers voice writer certification in three areas: Certified Verbatim Reporter, Certificate of Merit and Real-Time Verbatim Reporter. The NCRA offers the entry-level Registered Professional Reporter designation, the higher-level Registered Merit Reporter and Registered Diplomate Reporter and specialty certifications as a Certified Real-time Reporter, Certified Broadcast Captioner and Certified CART Provider. Other certifications are offered by the United States Court Reporters Association and the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers.