SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-3091.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $37,070 | $3,089 | $713 | $17.82 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $46,530 | $3,878 | $895 | $22.37 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $60,170 | $5,014 | $1,157 | $28.93 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $80,830 | $6,736 | $1,554 | $38.86 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $103,660 | $8,638 | $1,993 | $49.84 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Interpreters and Translators is $60,170, which is 18% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 27 by median pay. With 52,060 jobs, it makes up about 3.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($66,360) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Interpreters and Translators pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($109,970), Maryland ($88,550) and New York ($84,090). The lowest was in Hawaii ($42,270), Puerto Rico ($42,990) and Michigan ($45,310). The most jobs were in Texas (6,780), California (5,560) and Florida (4,200). The occupation is most concentrated in Arizona, where its share of all jobs is 1.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 280 | $109,970 | $102,960 | $52.87 |
| Maryland | 1,150 | $88,550 | $87,160 | $42.57 |
| New York | 3,240 | $84,090 | $86,550 | $40.43 |
| Rhode Island | 200 | $82,320 | $85,370 | $39.58 |
| Massachusetts | 2,280 | $72,750 | $79,140 | $34.98 |
| Colorado | 800 | $71,790 | $75,380 | $34.51 |
| California | 5,560 | $70,770 | $78,800 | $34.02 |
| Connecticut | 280 | $68,340 | $77,750 | $32.85 |
| Minnesota | 1,030 | $66,410 | $71,800 | $31.93 |
| Oregon | 660 | $66,300 | $68,870 | $31.88 |
| Idaho | 300 | $66,130 | $71,730 | $31.80 |
| Utah | 850 | $65,770 | $66,250 | $31.62 |
| New Mexico | 360 | $63,550 | $66,340 | $30.55 |
| Maine | 90 | $63,470 | $71,250 | $30.51 |
| Wisconsin | 1,410 | $63,390 | $64,240 | $30.48 |
| Virginia | 1,630 | $63,030 | $74,320 | $30.30 |
| Vermont | 80 | $62,450 | $77,460 | $30.02 |
| Washington | 1,250 | $61,750 | $70,140 | $29.69 |
| Ohio | 2,030 | $61,230 | $63,530 | $29.44 |
| New Jersey | 870 | $58,970 | $80,040 | $28.35 |
| Georgia | 1,600 | $57,880 | $61,750 | $27.83 |
| Mississippi | 80 | $57,130 | $59,050 | $27.47 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,420 | $57,040 | $64,190 | $27.42 |
| Missouri | 440 | $57,010 | $62,710 | $27.41 |
| New Hampshire | 240 | $56,370 | $55,630 | $27.10 |
| Illinois | 1,510 | $55,290 | $58,650 | $26.58 |
| Kentucky | 480 | $53,590 | $58,930 | $25.77 |
| South Dakota | 230 | $53,140 | $56,360 | $25.55 |
| Nebraska | 570 | $53,050 | $58,940 | $25.51 |
| Arkansas | 220 | $52,490 | $55,270 | $25.24 |
| Tennessee | 710 | $51,080 | $53,590 | $24.56 |
| South Carolina | 520 | $50,860 | $55,230 | $24.45 |
| Nevada | 320 | $50,370 | $50,390 | $24.21 |
| Arizona | 2,070 | $50,150 | $55,700 | $24.11 |
| North Carolina | 1,780 | $50,030 | $59,890 | $24.05 |
| Oklahoma | 320 | $48,980 | $53,980 | $23.55 |
| Florida | 4,200 | $48,930 | $58,900 | $23.53 |
| Louisiana | 120 | $48,420 | $49,820 | $23.28 |
| North Dakota | 130 | $48,190 | $52,380 | $23.17 |
| Iowa | 560 | $48,150 | $49,350 | $23.15 |
| Indiana | 1,170 | $48,140 | $56,690 | $23.14 |
| Kansas | 470 | $47,950 | $55,220 | $23.05 |
| Montana | 60 | $47,850 | $49,580 | $23.01 |
| Texas | 6,780 | $47,510 | $55,840 | $22.84 |
| Alabama | 310 | $46,130 | $53,740 | $22.18 |
| Michigan | 940 | $45,310 | $54,040 | $21.78 |
| Puerto Rico | 130 | $42,990 | $52,770 | $20.67 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $42,270 | $57,010 | $20.32 |
| Alaska | 150 | not published | not published | not published |
| Delaware | 110 | not published | not published | not published |
| West Virginia | 120 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Graphic Designers$62,960 a year
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 a year
- Actors$29.05 an hour
- Broadcast Technicians$59,570 a year
- Audio and Video Technicians$58,100 a year
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators$55,490 a year
Common questions
How much do Interpreters and Translators earn in the United States?
The median pay was $60,170 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,070 and the highest-paid 10% more than $103,660.
How many people work as Interpreters and Translators?
About 52,060 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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