In recent years, however, interest in the profession has plummeted, leading to a national shortage of at least 5,000 reporters, according to the Association for Court Reporters and Captioners. Yet court reporting ticks a lot of boxes on jobseekers' wish lists, says Irene Nakamura, a court reporter in California for more than 30 years and Rodriguez's mentor. In 2022, Rodriguez made about $235,315 as a freelance court reporter, according to tax documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Court reporters also must pass a state-approved exam in order to become certified. In addition to their base salary, court reporters are compensated on a per-page basis for transcripts they produce during court proceedings, according to Nakamura.

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Persons: Cynthia Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Irene Nakamura, Nakamura Organizations: Association for Court, CNBC, Bakersfield Community College, National Court Reporters Association, Superior Court Locations: Bakersfield , California, U.S, California, Delano , California, Bakersfield, Kern