How much do Interpreters and Translators make?
Interpreters and Translators earn a median annual salary of $60,170 in the United States, which works out to roughly $28.93 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $37,070 at the entry level and $103,660 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $46,530 and $80,830 a year.
That is $1,220 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Interpreters and Translators salary range by percentile
Half of all Interpreters and Translators earn between $46,530 and $80,830 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,070 | $17.82 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $46,530 | $22.37 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $60,170 | $28.93 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $80,830 | $38.86 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $103,660 | $49.84 |
Highest-paying states for Interpreters and Translators
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Interpreters and Translators pay at $109,970 a year, followed by Maryland ($88,550) and New York ($84,090). At the other end, Hawaii posts the lowest median at $42,270 — a gap of $67,700 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $109,970 | $52.87 | +83% |
| 2 | Maryland | $88,550 | $42.57 | +47% |
| 3 | New York | $84,090 | $40.43 | +40% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $82,320 | $39.58 | +37% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $72,750 | $34.98 | +21% |
Interpreters and Translators salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 47 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 52,000 people work as Interpreters and Translators in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $66,360 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
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