Differences in spoken and written language present a barrier to communication. Translators are experts in two or more languages who use their knowledge to convert written information from one language to another. Some translators also act as interpreters. Interpreters relay spoken information between parties who do not speak the same language.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average annual income of translators and interpreters was $50,610 in May 2011, based on an average wage of $24.33 an hour and 2,080 hours of work per year. The top 10 percent of workers in the vocation earned more than $88,010 and the bottom 10 percent made less than $23,710. Fifty percent of translators and interpreters had an annual income between $32,020 and $62,170.
Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that Virginia was the highest paying state in the nation for translators and interpreters in May 2011. Employees in Virginia earned $89,890 a year on average. Translators working in Maine, New Jersey and North Carolina earned average annual incomes in excess of $61,500. California employed the most translators and interpreters of any state, and workers there made $47,690 on average.
Translation and interpretation services are necessary in many industries in the economy, and the income of employees varies significantly by industry. The BLS reports that translators involved in providing professional and technical services earned $56,020 on average in May 2011 and workers providing support to businesses earned $59,570 on average. Translators and interpreters working for local governments earned $46,750 on average, while federal workers made $75,150 on average. Employees of colleges, universities and professional schools earned 55,970 on average, and workers at elementary and secondary schools earned $40,850 on average.
As world becomes increasingly globalized, the need to overcome language barriers continues to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 42 percent job growth for translators and interpreters from 2010 to 2020 to meet the communication demands of an increasingly diverse population. The BLS anticipates especially strong job prospects for translators of common world languages including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
2016 Salary Information for Interpreters and Translators
Interpreters and translators earned a median annual salary of $46,120 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, interpreters and translators earned a 25th percentile salary of $34,230, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $61,950, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 68,200 people were employed in the U.S. as interpreters and translators.
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