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Sounds like the pay should go up a little bit.

Court reporter pay has not kept pace with other skills over the last 20 years. There are about five super mega firms who are making contracts with big companies which cover the complete nation. The insurance companies, Burlington Northern, the banks, etcetera, sign these contracts and control the prices. The mom and pop freelance firms are being mowed down like the small grocers and hardware stores who lost markets to Walmart and Home Depot.

Young people with finger dexterity are entering the tech fields where they have more likelihood of improved income over the course of their careers.

It is a sad fact and skilled court reporters are not so easily replaced as store clerks when the prices are gouged by the big guys.

It is a sad fact and skilled court reporters are not so easily replaced as store clerks

I tried to make it as a court reporter; but, I simply couldn't get to the 225wpm. I was fast on a typewriter; and, I was fast taking Gregg Steno; but, the machine was different and I could only get to a certain level and I couldn't go higher.

I believe that when I was taking classes, I read an article that said that 85% of people who try to conquer machine shorthand drop out. So, the reason for a shortage is that it is a rare combination of dexterity and quickly translating what you are hearing to the "code" that is the word in the machine language. Very few people have that combination.