Also called: Marine 4429, Army 27D Court Reporter (identifier), Navy Legalman court reporter
Records every word spoken in courts-martial and legal hearings using stenomask or voice-writing equipment.
Court reporters speak into a muffled mask, repeating everything said in the courtroom, then produce official transcripts. Accuracy is everything. Civilian court reporters and captioners can earn well.
Regular military compensation (RMC = base pay + housing and food allowances + their tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-6 ranks, 2026 estimate. Cash in hand is lower early on because junior troops often live in free barracks and eat in dining halls. Enlistment bonuses can add thousands.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 1 year after high school. Prior legal service experience plus a court reporting course. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Court Reporting.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
High risk for 10 years. AI speech-to-text now transcribes hearings accurately; few court reporters will be needed.
Classes: Keyboarding, English composition.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.