Foreign language interpreter demographics and statistics in the US
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Foreign language interpreter demographics by:
Foreign language interpreter gender statistics
60.5% of foreign language interpreters are women and 39.5% of foreign language interpreters are men.
- Female, 60.5%
- Male, 39.5%
Foreign language interpreter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 60.5% |
| Male | 39.5% |
Foreign language interpreter gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,314
Female income
$42,677
Foreign language interpreter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in foreign language interpreter positions over time. Currently, 60.5% of foreign language interpreters are female.
Foreign language interpreter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 33.37% | 66.63% |
| 2011 | 38.88% | 61.12% |
| 2012 | 40.16% | 59.84% |
| 2013 | 39.81% | 60.19% |
| 2014 | 40.83% | 59.17% |
| 2015 | 37.01% | 62.99% |
| 2016 | 38.85% | 61.15% |
| 2017 | 39.42% | 60.58% |
| 2018 | 32.33% | 67.67% |
| 2019 | 34.55% | 65.45% |
| 2020 | 32.01% | 67.99% |
| 2021 | 39.47% | 60.53% |
Foreign language interpreter related jobs gender ratio
We compared foreign language 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% |
| Foreign Language Interpreter | 39% | 61% |
| 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%
Foreign language interpreter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among foreign language interpreters is White, which makes up 39.7% of all foreign language interpreters. Comparatively, 33.0% of foreign language interpreters are Hispanic or Latino and 14.0% of foreign language interpreters are Asian.
- White, 39.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 33.0%
- Asian, 14.0%
- Black or African American, 7.9%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Foreign language interpreter race
| Foreign language interpreter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 39.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 33.0% |
| Asian | 14.0% |
| Black or African American | 7.9% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Foreign language interpreter race and ethnicity over time
See how foreign language interpreter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Foreign language interpreter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 48.09% | 8.65% | 10.18% | 29.08% |
| 2011 | 45.50% | 7.41% | 11.88% | 30.75% |
| 2012 | 45.50% | 8.86% | 12.46% | 28.20% |
| 2013 | 47.89% | 8.33% | 11.03% | 27.99% |
| 2014 | 44.94% | 10.21% | 13.39% | 27.93% |
| 2015 | 47.79% | 8.36% | 12.90% | 27.41% |
| 2016 | 45.59% | 8.23% | 13.25% | 28.72% |
| 2017 | 49.03% | 8.68% | 11.41% | 26.65% |
| 2018 | 41.25% | 7.78% | 15.12% | 32.78% |
| 2019 | 47.46% | 7.91% | 12.22% | 28.30% |
| 2020 | 40.30% | 7.87% | 14.49% | 32.06% |
| 2021 | 39.73% | 7.86% | 13.96% | 32.99% |
Foreign language interpreter wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown foreign language interpreters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian foreign language interpreters have the lowest average salary at $41,475.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,563 |
| White | $48,204 |
| Black or African American | $43,301 |
| Asian | $41,475 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,739 |
Average foreign language interpreter age
See how the average age of foreign language interpreters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Foreign language 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 |
Foreign language interpreter age breakdown
The average age of foreign language interpreters is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the foreign language interpreter population.
Foreign language interpreter age breakdown
| Foreign Language Interpreter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Foreign language interpreter educational attainment
The most common degree for foreign language interpreters is bachelor's degree, with 61% of foreign language interpreters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 10%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Foreign language interpreters by degree level
| Foreign language interpreter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 61% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Master's | 10% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Foreign language interpreter jobs you might like
Foreign language interpreter wage gap by degree level
According to the data, foreign language interpreters with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $51,102 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, foreign language interpreters earn a median annual income of $46,792 compared to $46,529 for foreign language interpreters with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,102 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,842 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,792 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $46,529 |
Foreign language interpreter employment statistics
Most foreign language interpreters work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where foreign language interpreters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where foreign language interpreters work.
Foreign language interpreter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Foreign language interpreter jobs by company type
Employees with the foreign language interpreter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most foreign language interpreters prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Foreign language interpreter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 19% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 54% |
| Government | 22% |
Foreign language interpreter jobs by industry
The most common industries for foreign language interpreters are health care, government and professional.
Foreign language interpreter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 21% |
| Government | 18% |
| Professional | 18% |
| Education | 18% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Media | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
Foreign language interpreter turnover and employment statistics
Foreign language interpreter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for foreign language interpreters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Foreign language interpreter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Foreign language 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 foreign language interpreter tenure
The average foreign language interpreter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 170 foreign language interpreters resumes in Zippia's database.
Foreign language interpreter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 19% |
Foreign language interpreter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of foreign language 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Beat Reporter | 10.10% | 2,133 |
| News Broadcaster | 10.34% | 1,574 |
| Accounts Coordinating Internship | 12.01% | 62,867 |
| News Editor | 12.38% | 12,484 |
| Foreign Language Interpreter | 14.90% | - |
| Freelance Blogger | 16.36% | 2,277 |
| Public Address Announcer | 16.36% | 9,474 |
Similar foreign language interpreter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Beat Reporter | 10.10% | 2,133 |
| News Broadcaster | 10.34% | 1,574 |
| Accounts Coordinating Internship | 12.01% | 62,867 |
| News Editor | 12.38% | 12,484 |
| Freelance Blogger | 16.36% | 2,277 |
| Public Address Announcer | 16.36% | 9,474 |
Foreign languages spoken by foreign language interpreters
The most common foreign language among foreign language interpreters is Spanish at 41.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.8% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 8.2%.
- Spanish, 41.0%
- French, 9.8%
- Portuguese, 8.2%
- Arabic, 4.9%
- Russian, 4.9%
- Other, 31.2%
Foreign language interpreter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 41.0% |
| French | 9.8% |
| Portuguese | 8.2% |
| Arabic | 4.9% |
| Russian | 4.9% |
| Other | 31.2% |
