Translates and adapts video games for players in other languages and cultures, from dialogue and menus to jokes, names and marketing. BLS does not publish separate figures for interpreters and translators; it counts them within interpreter and translator (SOC 27-3091), whose median pay is $60,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 27-3091
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Game Localization Specialist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $60,170a year, or $28.93/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $104K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.0%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,00073,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202573.9K
- Projected 203575.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 73.9K Projected 2035 75.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school8%
- Certificate1.3%
- Associate's4.4%
- Bachelor's54.7%
- Master's27.9%
- Post-master’s certificate3.7%
Highest education held by interpreters and translators Segment Value High school 8% Certificate 1.3% Associate's 4.4% Bachelor's 54.7% Master's 27.9% Post-master’s certificate 3.7%
Also advertised as: Localization Specialist, Game Translator, Localization Producer, Localization QA Tester, Localization Coordinator.
Pay
How much do Interpreters and Translators make?
Every game localization specialist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$60,170
Middle half earn $46,530 to $80,830
- 10th
- $37,070
- 25th
- $46,530
- 75th
- $80,830
- 90th
- $103,660
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,070 |
| 25th | $46,530 |
| Median | $60,170 |
| 75th | $80,830 |
| 90th | $103,660 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $60,170
- Median hourly wage
- $28.93/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $66,360
- People employed
- 52,060
Versus all US occupations
At $60,170, Interpreters and Translators earn 18% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,190 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 12% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $103,660 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,070, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 32% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $109,970, and still leads at $100,063 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Interpreters and Translators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $109,970 | $100,063 | 280 |
| 2Maryland | $88,550 | $84,366 | 1,150 |
| 3New York | $84,090 | $77,918 | 3,240 |
| 4Rhode Island | $82,320 | $80,485 | 200 |
| 5Massachusetts | $72,750 | $68,790 | 2,280 |
| 6Colorado | $71,790 | $69,664 | 800 |
| 7California | $70,770 | $63,918 | 5,560 |
| 8Connecticut | $68,340 | $65,959 | 280 |
| 9Minnesota | $66,410 | $67,339 | 1,030 |
| 10Oregon | $66,300 | $64,144 | 660 |
Job outlook
Is Game Localization Specialist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | +2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Interpreters and Translators to change 2.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,000 openings are projected each year, 8.1% of the 73,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Game Localization Specialist
Most specialists are fluent in at least two languages and hold a degree in translation, languages or a related field. Gaming knowledge matters, because translators must understand genre conventions and player expectations. Experience with translation tools and string management systems is helpful.
Common starting points are localization QA testing at a studio or vendor, freelance translation for indie games, and fan translation projects that build a portfolio. The IGDA Localization SIG and the Globalization and Localization Association offer community and industry resources.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as interpreters and translators.
- Bachelor's Degree54.7%
- Master's Degree27.9%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)8%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree4.4%
- Post-Master's Certificate3.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 54.7% |
| Master's Degree | 27.9% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 8% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 4.4% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 3.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Game Localization Specialist do?
Game localization goes beyond word-for-word translation. Localization specialists adapt dialogue, menus, tutorials, item names and puns so a game feels native in another language, while fitting text into tight interface space and character limits. They also flag images, gestures or story elements that may not work in a target culture.
Some specialists translate, while others coordinate. Localization producers manage translation vendors, voice recording in multiple languages and release schedules, and localization QA testers play builds in their language to find truncated text, wrong strings and translation errors. They work with writers and developers to set up glossaries and tools early in development.
Day-to-day tasks
- Translate game dialogue, menus and item text
- Adapt jokes, names and cultural references for target markets
- Fit translated text within interface and character limits
- Play builds to find localization bugs and truncated text
- Maintain terminology glossaries and style guides
- Coordinate translation vendors and multilingual voice recording
- Flag content that may be sensitive in specific regions
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Translators often work remotely as freelancers or for localization vendors, while producers and QA testers work at studios or test centers. Deadlines tighten before simultaneous worldwide launches. The work is screen based and detailed. Freelancers often juggle several clients and time zones at once.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Writing3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Dictionary software
- Foreign language software
- Internet browser software
- Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software
- Mobile messaging service software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Game Localization Specialist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ACI) built on O*NET's Interpreter and Translator profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Game Localization Specialist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 5 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
- Conventional5.0
- Artistic4.8
- Investigative3.7
- Social3.5
- Enterprising1.9
- Realistic1.9
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Game Localization Specialist
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More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with interpreters and translators highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Game Localization Specialist$60,170
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Game Localization Specialist | $60,170 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Game Localization Specialist appears on
Questions
Game Localization Specialist: frequently asked questions
How much do Interpreters and Translators make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for interpreters and translators. It counts them within interpreter and translator, whose median pay is $60,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $46,530 and $80,830, and the top 10% earn $103,660 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Game Localization Specialist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Interpreters and Translators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 54.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Game Localization Specialist a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.0% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Game Localization Specialist do?
Game localization goes beyond word-for-word translation. A typical task: translate game dialogue, menus and item text. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Interpreters and Translators the most?
The highest state medians for Interpreters and Translators are District of Columbia ($109,970), Maryland ($88,550), New York ($84,090) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Game Localization Specialist?
O*NET scores Interpreters and Translators highest on the Conventional, Artistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with INFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.