161 metro areas
Interpreter and Translator Salary by City (2026)
Interpreters and translators earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $93,660 a year, against $66,360 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in St. Cloud, MN ($87,250 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $66,360BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $93,660San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $87,250St. Cloud, MN
- Metro areas
- 161With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for interpreters and translators
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$93,660
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$93,450
- Santa Maria, CA$92,890
- New York, NY-NJ$91,100
- San Francisco, CA$90,940
- Baltimore, MD$85,220
- Bridgeport, CT$84,070
- Santa Rosa, CA$82,600
- Boulder, CO$81,890
- Oxnard, CA$81,410
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $93,660 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $93,450 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $92,890 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $91,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,940 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $85,220 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $84,070 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $82,600 |
| Boulder, CO | $81,890 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $81,410 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- St. Cloud, MN$76,460 nominal$87,250
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$93,450 nominal$85,830
- Santa Maria, CA$92,890 nominal$85,380
- San Jose, CA$93,660 nominal$84,820
- Rochester, NY$80,560 nominal$83,020
- Baltimore, MD$85,220 nominal$81,560
- Boise City, ID$79,830 nominal$81,140
- New York, NY-NJ$91,100 nominal$80,930
- Albuquerque, NM$77,250 nominal$80,850
- Tulsa, OK$71,070 nominal$79,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | $87,250 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $85,830 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,380 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $84,820 |
| Rochester, NY | $83,020 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $81,560 |
| Boise City, ID | $81,140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80,930 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $80,850 |
| Tulsa, OK | $79,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Interpreter and Translator salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $93,660 | $67,100 | $106,720 | $84,820 |
| 2 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $93,450 | $57,550 | $111,130 | $85,830 |
| 3 | Santa Maria, CA | $92,890 | $59,180 | $109,490 | $85,380 |
| 4 | New York, NY-NJ | $91,100 | $49,800 | $111,470 | $80,930 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $90,940 | $63,900 | $104,250 | $78,660 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $85,220 | $58,200 | $98,530 | $81,560 |
| 7 | Bridgeport, CT | $84,070 | $59,550 | $96,140 | $78,670 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa, CA | $82,600 | $59,380 | $94,040 | $76,630 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $81,890 | $57,740 | $93,790 | $77,840 |
| 10 | Oxnard, CA | $81,410 | $51,900 | $95,950 | $73,650 |
| 11 | Boston, MA-NH | $81,240 | $55,080 | $94,140 | $75,040 |
| 12 | Rochester, NY | $80,560 | $56,160 | $92,560 | $83,020 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $79,960 | $49,770 | $94,830 | $71,460 |
| 14 | Boise City, ID | $79,830 | $50,230 | $94,410 | $81,140 |
| 15 | Providence, RI-MA | $79,600 | $50,500 | $93,950 | $78,210 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $79,350 | $57,890 | $89,920 | $75,010 |
| 17 | Riverside, CA | $79,250 | $51,460 | $92,930 | $74,450 |
| 18 | Salem, OR | $78,890 | $58,550 | $88,900 | $76,110 |
| 19 | Los Angeles, CA | $78,420 | $53,160 | $90,850 | $69,050 |
| 20 | New Haven, CT | $78,190 | $45,640 | $94,220 | $74,780 |
| 21 | Albuquerque, NM | $77,250 | $53,770 | $88,840 | $80,850 |
| 22 | Charlottesville, VA | $76,840 | $50,420 | $89,840 | $77,500 |
| 23 | St. Cloud, MN | $76,460 | $59,220 | $84,970 | $87,250 |
| 24 | Burlington, VT | $76,290 | $57,350 | $85,610 | $75,570 |
| 25 | Hartford, CT | $75,280 | $45,260 | $90,060 | $73,270 |
| 26 | Salinas, CA | $75,090 | $49,610 | $87,630 | $68,860 |
| 27 | Albany, NY | $73,300 | $55,270 | $82,180 | $73,620 |
| 28 | Richmond, VA | $72,950 | $49,280 | $84,610 | $74,550 |
| 29 | Bakersfield, CA | $72,900 | $47,820 | $85,260 | $72,260 |
| 30 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $72,840 | $59,380 | $79,480 | $69,490 |
| 31 | Seattle, WA | $72,800 | $48,800 | $84,610 | $65,510 |
| 32 | Madison, WI | $72,610 | $50,380 | $83,570 | $74,630 |
| 33 | Austin, TX | $72,510 | $41,310 | $87,860 | $73,940 |
| 34 | Sacramento, CA | $71,660 | $49,030 | $82,780 | $67,180 |
| 35 | Rochester, MN | $71,090 | $60,110 | $76,480 | $78,270 |
| 36 | Worcester, MA | $71,090 | $52,750 | $80,140 | $69,340 |
| 37 | Tulsa, OK | $71,070 | $41,370 | $85,720 | $79,660 |
| 38 | Colorado Springs, CO | $71,030 | $53,790 | $79,540 | $70,530 |
| 39 | Visalia, CA | $70,870 | $47,650 | $82,310 | $70,990 |
| 40 | Fresno, CA | $70,780 | $47,740 | $82,140 | $69,280 |
| 41 | Fort Collins, CO | $70,760 | $56,680 | $77,710 | $69,970 |
| 42 | Lancaster, PA | $70,680 | $46,360 | $82,660 | $71,930 |
| 43 | Atlantic City, NJ | $70,570 | $42,370 | $84,450 | $71,390 |
| 44 | Modesto, CA | $70,470 | $43,910 | $83,550 | $67,690 |
| 45 | Savannah, GA | $70,320 | $35,090 | $87,670 | $73,860 |
| 46 | York, PA | $70,280 | $50,250 | $80,140 | $73,210 |
| 47 | Akron, OH | $70,160 | $43,080 | $83,490 | $75,140 |
| 48 | Eugene, OR | $69,660 | $57,370 | $75,710 | $68,580 |
| 49 | Reading, PA | $68,850 | $45,530 | $80,330 | $70,940 |
| 50 | Lexington, KY | $68,270 | $46,380 | $79,040 | $73,500 |
| 51 | South Bend, IN-MI | $68,220 | $50,940 | $76,750 | $73,470 |
| 52 | Dayton, OH | $68,020 | $49,030 | $77,360 | $73,380 |
| 53 | Miami, FL | $67,970 | $39,400 | $82,040 | $59,540 |
| 54 | Medford, OR | $67,520 | $53,480 | $74,440 | $66,570 |
| 55 | Jacksonville, FL | $67,430 | $40,040 | $80,930 | $67,780 |
| 56 | Salt Lake City, UT | $67,410 | $46,880 | $77,520 | $66,830 |
| 57 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $67,250 | $46,630 | $77,400 | $72,960 |
| 58 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $66,770 | $41,310 | $79,310 | $65,110 |
| 59 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $66,560 | $43,310 | $78,020 | $71,920 |
| 60 | Charleston, SC | $66,410 | $46,570 | $76,190 | $65,780 |
| 61 | Merced, CA | $65,980 | $47,900 | $74,900 | $67,140 |
| 62 | Milwaukee, WI | $65,770 | $49,110 | $73,990 | $67,850 |
| 63 | Ogden, UT | $65,710 | $47,720 | $74,550 | $65,480 |
| 64 | Pittsburgh, PA | $65,000 | $39,040 | $77,790 | $68,660 |
| 65 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,850 | $42,100 | $76,070 | $68,200 |
| 66 | Orlando, FL | $64,380 | $40,080 | $76,340 | $63,480 |
| 67 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $64,360 | $38,830 | $76,940 | $64,380 |
| 68 | Portland, OR-WA | $64,310 | $45,880 | $73,380 | $61,000 |
| 69 | Spartanburg, SC | $64,270 | $45,070 | $73,740 | $70,590 |
| 70 | Roanoke, VA | $64,060 | $41,180 | $75,340 | $68,430 |
| 71 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $63,960 | $52,250 | $69,720 | $69,700 |
| 72 | Cape Coral, FL | $63,480 | $43,760 | $73,220 | $62,020 |
| 73 | Atlanta, GA | $63,440 | $39,770 | $75,090 | $63,400 |
| 74 | Omaha, NE-IA | $63,190 | $46,130 | $71,590 | $68,750 |
| 75 | Bend, OR | $63,110 | $48,380 | $70,370 | $60,910 |
| 76 | Provo, UT | $63,000 | $46,070 | $71,340 | $64,130 |
| 77 | Anchorage, AK | $62,920 | $43,700 | $72,400 | $59,690 |
| 78 | Cleveland, OH | $62,880 | $37,150 | $75,550 | $66,950 |
| 79 | St. George, UT | $62,880 | $45,640 | $71,360 | $64,610 |
| 80 | Columbus, OH | $62,570 | $43,200 | $72,110 | $65,540 |
| 81 | Tallahassee, FL | $62,570 | $39,600 | $73,880 | $66,620 |
| 82 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $62,500 | $44,930 | $71,140 | $65,530 |
| 83 | Appleton, WI | $62,400 | $42,600 | $72,160 | $67,520 |
| 84 | Springfield, IL | $61,760 | $39,170 | $72,860 | $66,590 |
| 85 | Green Bay, WI | $61,570 | $41,140 | $71,640 | $66,140 |
| 86 | Stockton, CA | $61,550 | $46,630 | $68,910 | $58,570 |
| 87 | Chicago, IL-IN | $61,320 | $41,040 | $71,300 | $59,190 |
| 88 | Tucson, AZ | $61,320 | $38,880 | $72,360 | $63,280 |
| 89 | Pensacola, FL | $61,210 | $37,250 | $73,010 | $62,640 |
| 90 | Dallas, TX | $60,820 | $37,360 | $72,360 | $59,000 |
| 91 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $60,720 | $42,700 | $69,600 | $62,370 |
| 92 | Little Rock, AR | $60,070 | $42,410 | $68,760 | $67,220 |
| 93 | Lubbock, TX | $58,820 | $36,520 | $69,800 | $64,410 |
| 94 | Youngstown, OH | $58,820 | $38,380 | $68,890 | $67,300 |
| 95 | Kennewick, WA | $58,720 | $50,230 | $62,920 | $58,670 |
| 96 | San Juan, PR | $58,550 | $30,950 | $72,160 | N/A |
| 97 | San Antonio, TX | $58,490 | $26,890 | $74,050 | $61,750 |
| 98 | Tampa, FL | $58,430 | $34,150 | $70,370 | $57,910 |
| 99 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $57,970 | $40,750 | $66,460 | $63,960 |
| 100 | Springfield, MA | $57,740 | $45,410 | $63,790 | $60,110 |
| 101 | Durham, NC | $57,680 | $43,010 | $64,920 | $59,120 |
| 102 | Toledo, OH | $57,220 | $34,820 | $68,270 | $62,570 |
| 103 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,180 | $43,040 | $64,150 | $59,750 |
| 104 | Knoxville, TN | $57,030 | $35,800 | $67,500 | $61,610 |
| 105 | Corpus Christi, TX | $57,010 | $37,190 | $66,770 | $61,520 |
| 106 | Lincoln, NE | $56,950 | $43,330 | $63,650 | $62,190 |
| 107 | Raleigh, NC | $56,680 | $41,200 | $64,310 | $57,740 |
| 108 | Harrisburg, PA | $56,430 | $40,520 | $64,270 | $57,200 |
| 109 | Fargo, ND-MN | $56,220 | $42,720 | $62,880 | $61,870 |
| 110 | Des Moines, IA | $55,740 | $41,500 | $62,770 | $60,780 |
| 111 | Topeka, KS | $55,560 | $40,520 | $62,960 | $62,550 |
| 112 | Augusta, GA-SC | $55,490 | $36,900 | $64,650 | $60,380 |
| 113 | Greenville, SC | $55,330 | $39,580 | $63,090 | $59,330 |
| 114 | Manchester, NH | $55,330 | $49,440 | $58,220 | $52,370 |
| 115 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $55,160 | $38,360 | $63,440 | $49,710 |
| 116 | Greenville, NC | $55,120 | $44,780 | $60,220 | $62,350 |
| 117 | El Paso, TX | $55,020 | $28,930 | $67,870 | $61,190 |
| 118 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $54,970 | $41,660 | $61,530 | $59,060 |
| 119 | Buffalo, NY | $54,910 | $46,110 | $59,240 | $57,290 |
| 120 | Champaign, IL | $54,660 | $41,600 | $61,110 | $58,960 |
| 121 | Phoenix, AZ | $54,370 | $34,820 | $64,000 | $52,620 |
| 122 | Columbia, SC | $54,180 | $44,470 | $58,970 | $57,850 |
| 123 | Kalamazoo, MI | $53,980 | $28,450 | $66,560 | $56,920 |
| 124 | Oklahoma City, OK | $53,580 | $41,450 | $59,550 | $59,260 |
| 125 | Reno, NV | $53,520 | $39,170 | $60,570 | $52,980 |
| 126 | Spokane, WA | $53,520 | $39,170 | $60,610 | $53,340 |
| 127 | New Orleans, LA | $53,410 | $37,710 | $61,130 | $57,680 |
| 128 | Grand Rapids, MI | $53,190 | $41,000 | $59,200 | $55,670 |
| 129 | Hickory, NC | $53,060 | $39,150 | $59,920 | $59,960 |
| 130 | Deltona, FL | $53,020 | $37,130 | $60,840 | $53,360 |
| 131 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $52,810 | $41,230 | $58,530 | $57,740 |
| 132 | Peoria, IL | $52,330 | $35,670 | $60,530 | $57,360 |
| 133 | Evansville, IN | $52,270 | $37,770 | $59,400 | $57,110 |
| 134 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $52,170 | $40,710 | $57,800 | $60,200 |
| 135 | Nashville, TN | $52,080 | $34,800 | $60,590 | $54,060 |
| 136 | Montgomery, AL | $52,040 | $41,850 | $57,050 | $58,030 |
| 137 | Jackson, MS | $51,810 | $34,300 | $60,440 | $58,180 |
| 138 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $51,730 | $37,130 | $58,930 | $58,150 |
| 139 | Harrisonburg, VA | $51,600 | $39,520 | $57,550 | $54,380 |
| 140 | Davenport, IA-IL | $51,560 | $39,170 | $57,660 | $57,880 |
| 141 | Houston, TX | $51,170 | $34,440 | $59,400 | $51,880 |
| 142 | Fayetteville, AR | $50,960 | $34,130 | $59,240 | $55,780 |
| 143 | Asheville, NC | $50,400 | $38,790 | $56,100 | $52,220 |
| 144 | Winston, NC | $50,380 | $38,690 | $56,140 | $54,740 |
| 145 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,960 | $40,890 | $54,430 | $53,970 |
| 146 | Las Vegas, NV | $49,590 | $38,750 | $54,930 | $49,480 |
| 147 | North Port, FL | $48,820 | $34,070 | $56,060 | $47,670 |
| 148 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $48,780 | $40,390 | $52,920 | $56,420 |
| 149 | Greensboro, NC | $47,860 | $32,660 | $55,350 | $51,540 |
| 150 | Detroit, MI | $47,630 | $35,820 | $53,460 | $47,490 |
| 151 | Crestview, FL | $47,240 | $40,310 | $50,630 | $48,690 |
| 152 | Elkhart, IN | $47,130 | $41,600 | $49,860 | $52,180 |
| 153 | Rockford, IL | $46,970 | $36,480 | $52,120 | $50,970 |
| 154 | Burlington, NC | $45,740 | $32,590 | $52,230 | $49,080 |
| 155 | Tyler, TX | $44,890 | $35,090 | $49,730 | $48,710 |
| 156 | Waterloo, IA | $44,890 | $35,880 | $49,340 | $51,560 |
| 157 | Birmingham, AL | $44,740 | $33,680 | $50,210 | $48,820 |
| 158 | Huntsville, AL | $42,910 | $25,750 | $51,360 | $46,100 |
| 159 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $42,680 | $34,260 | $46,840 | $43,540 |
| 160 | Wichita, KS | $42,540 | $28,390 | $49,500 | $47,830 |
| 161 | Gainesville, GA | $42,370 | $34,880 | $46,070 | $43,790 |
More
More on interpreters and translators
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Interpreter and Translator salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays interpreters and translators the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $93,660 a year, followed by Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV ($93,450), Santa Maria, CA ($92,890), New York, NY-NJ ($91,100). The national mean is $66,360 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do interpreters and translators earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in St. Cloud, MN ($87,250 at national prices, $76,460 nominal), Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV ($85,830 at national prices, $93,450 nominal), Santa Maria, CA ($85,380 at national prices, $92,890 nominal).
How much do interpreters and translators make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $91,100; Los Angeles, CA: $78,420; Chicago, IL-IN: $61,320; Dallas, TX: $60,820; Houston, TX: $51,170 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do interpreters and translators earn the least?
Of the 161 metro areas with their own estimate, Gainesville, GA has the lowest mean wage, $42,370. At local prices that is worth $43,790.