Bilingual interpreter demographics and statistics in the US
Bilingual interpreter demographics research summary. Zippia estimates bilingual interpreter demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our bilingual interpreter estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about bilingual interpreters after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 11,562 bilingual interpreters currently employed in the United States.
- 64.9% of all bilingual interpreters are women, while 35.1% are men.
- The average bilingual interpreter age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of bilingual interpreters is Hispanic or Latino (47.2%), followed by White (32.5%), Asian (11.0%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- Bilingual interpreters are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $80,372, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women bilingual interpreters earned 92% of what men earned.
- District of Columbia is the best state for bilingual interpreters to live.
- Bilingual interpreters are 49% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Bilingual interpreter demographics by:
Bilingual interpreter gender statistics
64.9% of bilingual interpreters are women and 35.1% of bilingual interpreters are men.
- Female, 64.9%
- Male, 35.1%
Bilingual interpreter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.9% |
| Male | 35.1% |
Bilingual interpreter gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,204
Female income
$42,629
Bilingual interpreter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in bilingual interpreter positions over time. Currently, 64.9% of bilingual interpreters are female.
Bilingual interpreter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 29.38% | 70.62% |
| 2011 | 34.57% | 65.43% |
| 2012 | 35.80% | 64.20% |
| 2013 | 35.46% | 64.54% |
| 2014 | 36.44% | 63.56% |
| 2015 | 32.80% | 67.20% |
| 2016 | 34.54% | 65.46% |
| 2017 | 35.09% | 64.91% |
| 2018 | 28.41% | 71.59% |
| 2019 | 30.48% | 69.52% |
| 2020 | 28.12% | 71.88% |
| 2021 | 35.14% | 64.86% |
Bilingual interpreter related jobs gender ratio
We compared bilingual interpreters with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Bilingual Interpreter | 35% | 65% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Bilingual interpreter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among bilingual interpreters is Hispanic or Latino, which makes up 47.2% of all bilingual interpreters. Comparatively, 32.5% of bilingual interpreters are White and 11.0% of bilingual interpreters are Asian.
- Hispanic or Latino, 47.2%
- White, 32.5%
- Asian, 11.0%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Black or African American, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Bilingual interpreter race
| Bilingual interpreter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 47.2% |
| White | 32.5% |
| Asian | 11.0% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Black or African American | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Bilingual interpreter race and ethnicity over time
See how bilingual interpreter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Bilingual interpreter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 40.89% | 5.10% | 7.24% | 43.32% |
| 2011 | 38.31% | 3.86% | 8.94% | 45.00% |
| 2012 | 38.30% | 5.31% | 9.52% | 42.44% |
| 2013 | 40.69% | 4.78% | 8.08% | 42.23% |
| 2014 | 37.74% | 6.67% | 10.44% | 42.17% |
| 2015 | 40.60% | 4.81% | 9.96% | 41.65% |
| 2016 | 38.39% | 4.68% | 10.31% | 42.96% |
| 2017 | 41.83% | 5.13% | 8.47% | 40.89% |
| 2018 | 34.06% | 4.23% | 12.17% | 47.02% |
| 2019 | 40.26% | 4.36% | 9.27% | 42.54% |
| 2020 | 33.11% | 4.32% | 11.55% | 46.30% |
| 2021 | 32.53% | 4.31% | 11.02% | 47.23% |
Bilingual interpreter wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown bilingual interpreters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian bilingual interpreters have the lowest average salary at $41,447.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,355 |
| White | $48,059 |
| Black or African American | $43,243 |
| Asian | $41,447 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,603 |
Average bilingual interpreter age
See how the average age of bilingual interpreters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Bilingual interpreter age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 44 | |
| White | 36 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 39 | |
| Asian | 48.5 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 42 |
Bilingual interpreter age breakdown
The average age of bilingual interpreters is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the bilingual interpreter population.
Bilingual interpreter age breakdown
| Bilingual Interpreter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Bilingual interpreter educational attainment
The most common degree for bilingual interpreters is bachelor's degree, with 46% of bilingual interpreters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- Bachelor's, 46%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 13%
- Master's, 10%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Bilingual interpreters by degree level
| Bilingual interpreter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 46% |
| Associate | 19% |
| High School Diploma | 13% |
| Master's | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Bilingual interpreter jobs you might like
Bilingual interpreter wage gap by degree level
According to the data, bilingual interpreters with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $50,902 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, bilingual interpreters earn a median annual income of $46,673 compared to $46,415 for bilingual interpreters with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,902 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,808 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,673 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $46,415 |
Bilingual interpreter employment statistics
Most bilingual interpreters work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where bilingual interpreters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where bilingual interpreters work.
Bilingual interpreter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Bilingual interpreter jobs by company type
Employees with the bilingual interpreter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most bilingual interpreters prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Bilingual interpreter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 27% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 49% |
| Government | 11% |
Bilingual interpreter jobs by industry
The most common industries for bilingual interpreters are education, professional and health care.
Bilingual interpreter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 23% |
| Professional | 15% |
| Health Care | 12% |
| Government | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Bilingual interpreter turnover and employment statistics
Bilingual interpreter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for bilingual interpreters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bilingual interpreter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Bilingual interpreter unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.66% |
| 2011 | 6.79% |
| 2012 | 6.36% |
| 2013 | 6.86% |
| 2014 | 5.89% |
| 2015 | 4.90% |
| 2016 | 3.75% |
| 2017 | 3.59% |
| 2018 | 3.95% |
| 2019 | 4.57% |
| 2020 | 6.35% |
| 2021 | 6.78% |
Average bilingual interpreter tenure
The average bilingual interpreter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 486 bilingual interpreters resumes in Zippia's database.
Bilingual interpreter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Bilingual interpreter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of bilingual interpreters that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Writer | 10.10% | 16,981 |
| FM Announcer | 10.34% | 36 |
| Media Promoter | 12.01% | 8,233 |
| Editing Internship | 12.38% | 49,315 |
| Bilingual Interpreter | 14.90% | - |
| Story Writer | 16.36% | 10,200 |
| Ringmaster | 16.36% | 66 |
Similar bilingual interpreter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Writer | 10.10% | 16,981 |
| FM Announcer | 10.34% | 36 |
| Media Promoter | 12.01% | 8,233 |
| Editing Internship | 12.38% | 49,315 |
| Story Writer | 16.36% | 10,200 |
| Ringmaster | 16.36% | 66 |
Foreign languages spoken by bilingual interpreters
The most common foreign language among bilingual interpreters is Spanish at 68.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 4.3% and French is the third-most popular at 3.4%.
- Spanish, 68.1%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- French, 3.4%
- Mandarin, 3.4%
- Portuguese, 2.6%
- Other, 18.2%
Bilingual interpreter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 68.1% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| French | 3.4% |
| Mandarin | 3.4% |
| Portuguese | 2.6% |
| Other | 18.2% |
