The median pay for Interpreters and Translators is $60,170 a year ($28.93/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.0% through 2035, with about 6,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 27-3091
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Interpreter and Translator 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: American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter), Court Interpreter, Educational Interpreter, Interpreter, Linguist, Medical Interpreter.
Pay
How much do Interpreters and Translators make?
Every interpreter and translator 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 Interpreter and Translator 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.
Despite limited employment growth, about 6,000 openings for interpreters and translators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
A diverse U.S. population and increasing globalization are projected to create demand for interpreters and translators. The ongoing need for military and national security interpreters and translators is expected to result in more jobs as well.
In addition, demand for American Sign Language interpreters is expected to grow due to the increasing use of video relay services, which allow people to conduct online video calls and use a sign language interpreter.
Getting in
How to become an Interpreter and Translator
Interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. They also must be proficient in at least two languages (English and one other language), as well as in the interpretation or translation service they intend to provide.
- 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 an Interpreter and Translator do?
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language. Interpreters work in spoken or sign language; translators work in written language.
Day-to-day tasks
- Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
- Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
- Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
- Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
- Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
- Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.
- Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
- Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Part-time work is common for interpreters and translators, and work schedules may vary. Interpreters and translators may have periods of limited work and periods of long, irregular hours.
Self-employed interpreters and translators are able to set their own schedules.
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.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. 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.
Where interpreters and translators work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Professional, scientific, and technical services30%
- Self-employed workers28%
- Educational services; state, local, and private15%
- Hospitals; state, local, and private7%
- Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 30% |
| Self-employed workers | 28% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 15% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 7% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 5% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
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 an Interpreter and Translator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Interpreter and Translator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| 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.
- Conventional4.8
- Artistic4.3
- Social3.5
- Investigative3.2
- 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 Interpreter and Translator
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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
- Interpreter and Translator$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 |
| Interpreter and Translator | $60,170 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within interpreter and translator
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Interpreter and Translator appears on
Questions
Interpreter and Translator: frequently asked questions
How much do Interpreters and Translators make?
Interpreters and Translators earn a median of $60,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 18% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.93/hr. The middle half earn between $46,530 and $80,830. The top 10% earn $103,660 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Interpreter and Translator?
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 Interpreter and Translator 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 an Interpreter and Translator do?
Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language. A core O*NET task: refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy. 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 an Interpreter and Translator?
O*NET scores Interpreters and Translators highest on the Conventional, Artistic and Social 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.