Interpreters and Translators
Interpreters and Translators earn an average annual salary of $78,569, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Interpreters and Translators workforce.
Employment Over Time
6,710 Workforce in 2023
The Interpreters and Translators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Interpreters and Translators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$78,569 Average Wage
In 2023, Interpreters and Translators earned an average of $78,569.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Interpreters and Translators.
Salary distribution for Interpreters and Translators.
Employment Growth Projections
0.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
26,663 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 3.3%
27,556 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 6.8%
This occupation is projected to grow at 0.7% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Interpreters and Translators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Interpreters and Translators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Interpreters and Translators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Interpreters and Translators.
Wage Trends by Industry
12.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Interpreters and Translators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Interpreters and Translators.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 6,040 employees, $77,950 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Interpreters and Translators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 1,460 employees, $75,188 avg wage
- Salinas MSA: 760 employees, $72,858 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 540 employees, $78,856 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 490 employees, $77,141 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 480 employees, $74,799 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 450 employees, $88,624 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 440 employees, $74,847 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 350 employees, $90,446 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 340 employees, $93,483 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 150 employees, $70,505 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Interpreters and Translators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Interpreters and Translators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Interpreters and Translators in 2023 was 6,710 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Interpreters and Translators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Interpreters and Translators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Interpreters and Translators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Interpreters and Translators in 2023 were Business, Social Sciences, General Studies.
Common majors for Interpreters and Translators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Interpreters and Translators workers.
Education level distribution for Interpreters and Translators.
Skills
Interpreters and Translators need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking.
Required skills for Interpreters and Translators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Interpreters and Translators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Interpreters and Translators include English Language, Foreign Language, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Administrative.
Knowledge areas required for Interpreters and Translators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Interpreters and Translators include Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Written Expression, Written Comprehension, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for Interpreters and Translators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Interpreters and Translators.
Daily Activities
Interpreters and Translators spend their time on activities such as Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.
Most important work activities for Interpreters and Translators.
About
Interpreters and Translators
The average yearly wage for Interpreters and Translators was $78,569 in 2023.
SOC Code
27-3091 - Interpreters and Translators
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Interpreters and Translators reports an average salary of $78,569.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 6,710 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 0.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.