Interpreter and Translator
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Also called: American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter) · Court Interpreter · Educational Interpreter · Interpreter · Linguist · Medical Interpreter · Sign Language Interpreter · Spanish Interpreter
O*NET-SOC 27-3091.00 (Interpreters and Translators)
Interpreter and Translator salary
Wages for interpreters and translators across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $28.93.
Interpreter and Translator pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $49,530 | $70,770 | $119,810 |
| Texas | $31,500 | $47,510 | $89,140 |
| Florida | $34,290 | $48,930 | $99,590 |
| New York | $48,930 | $84,090 | $127,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,580 | $57,040 | $104,120 |
| Illinois | $37,990 | $55,290 | $82,370 |
| Ohio | $39,300 | $61,230 | $91,920 |
| Georgia | $35,370 | $57,880 | $98,980 |
| North Carolina | $34,510 | $50,030 | $101,110 |
| Michigan | $35,990 | $45,310 | $88,630 |
Interpreter and Translator job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 73,900 jobs in 2025 to 75,400 in 2035 (2% change).
- About 6,000 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Below Average.
How to become an interpreter and translator
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- No on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma2.5%
- High school diploma or equivalent10.7%
- Some college, no degree18.4%
- Associate's degree12.6%
- Bachelor's degree34.5%
- Master's degree16.9%
- Doctoral or professional degree4.4%
Related training programs
- African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Albanian Language and Literature
- American Indian/Native American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- American Sign Language (ASL)
- American Sign Language, Other
- Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
- Applied Linguistics
- Arabic Language and Literature
- Armenian Language and Literature
- Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Baltic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
What does an interpreter and translator do?
Common tasks
- Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
- Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
- Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
- Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
- Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
- Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
- Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
- Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
- Check original texts or confer with authors to ensure that translations retain the content, meaning, and feeling of the original material.
- Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.
Most important skills
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Interpreter and Translator certifications
8 of 20 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- Administrative Office of the United States Courts · Specialty
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages · Advanced
- National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters · Specialty
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages · Advanced
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages · Advanced
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages · Advanced
- Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf · Specialty
- National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters · Specialty
See all 20certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Interpreter and Translator jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more intelligence jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Intelligence jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
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This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Interpreters and Translators. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.