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Interpreter and translator salary
Average interpreter and translator salary
$43,870
Average Interpreter and Translator Salary
The average salary for interpreters and translators in the U.S. stands at $43,870 per year as of October 2025. This translates to approximately $21 an hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the field of specialization.
Highest Paying States
Some states offer higher salaries for this profession. For instance, states like California and New York typically provide salaries above the national average due to the higher cost of living and demand for bilingual services.
Job Opportunities
Interpreters and translators can find roles in various sectors, including healthcare, legal, and educational settings. Opportunities also exist in government and corporate environments, where effective communication is crucial.
Salary Trends Over Time
Over the years, the demand for language professionals has increased, leading to a gradual rise in salaries. Keeping an eye on industry trends can help aspiring interpreters and translators negotiate better pay.
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Where can an Interpreter And Translator earn more?
Interpreter and translator salary estimates from across the web
Average interpreter and translator salary by state
The highest-paying states for interpreter and translators are Virginia, Oregon, and California. The lowest average interpreter and translator salary states are Ohio, Missouri, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for interpreter and translators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $77,870 | $37.44 |
| 2 | Oregon | $57,896 | $27.83 |
| 3 | Virginia | $59,372 | $28.54 |
| 4 | New York | $57,104 | $27.45 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $52,563 | $25.27 |
| 6 | Maryland | $54,921 | $26.40 |
| 7 | California | $57,117 | $27.46 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $50,118 | $24.10 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $51,248 | $24.64 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $53,944 | $25.93 |
| 11 | Mississippi | $48,031 | $23.09 |
| 12 | Utah | $48,668 | $23.40 |
| 13 | Vermont | $49,857 | $23.97 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $46,756 | $22.48 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $46,366 | $22.29 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $49,702 | $23.90 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $45,265 | $21.76 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $45,685 | $21.96 |
| 19 | Texas | $45,945 | $22.09 |
| 20 | Washington | $48,257 | $23.20 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $44,598 | $21.44 |
| 22 | Alaska | $50,338 | $24.20 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $46,017 | $22.12 |
| 24 | Nevada | $47,430 | $22.80 |
| 25 | Idaho | $45,039 | $21.65 |
| 26 | Montana | $40,223 | $19.34 |
| 27 | Colorado | $47,200 | $22.69 |
| 28 | Maine | $45,123 | $21.69 |
| 29 | Georgia | $41,951 | $20.17 |
| 30 | Michigan | $42,262 | $20.32 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $42,380 | $20.38 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $38,551 | $18.53 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $43,044 | $20.69 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $43,497 | $20.91 |
| 35 | Florida | $41,189 | $19.80 |
| 36 | Arizona | $35,862 | $17.24 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $40,654 | $19.55 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $37,901 | $18.22 |
| 39 | Kansas | $38,531 | $18.52 |
| 40 | Delaware | $32,189 | $15.48 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $37,196 | $17.88 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $32,640 | $15.69 |
| 43 | Iowa | $37,429 | $17.99 |
| 44 | Illinois | $36,113 | $17.36 |
| 45 | Ohio | $33,616 | $16.16 |
| 46 | Indiana | $35,519 | $17.08 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $34,727 | $16.70 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $35,831 | $17.23 |
| 49 | Alabama | $32,586 | $15.67 |
| 50 | Missouri | $33,329 | $16.02 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $29,255 | $14.06 |
Highest paying cities for interpreter and translators
The highest-paying cities for interpreter and translators are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Reston, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $77,883 | $37.44 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $62,657 | $30.12 |
| 3 | Reston, VA | $61,699 | $29.66 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $57,337 | $27.57 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $57,281 | $27.54 |
| 6 | Rockville, MD | $54,435 | $26.17 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $54,012 | $25.97 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $52,470 | $25.23 |
| 9 | Danbury, CT | $49,753 | $23.92 |
| 10 | Provo, UT | $48,802 | $23.46 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $48,659 | $23.39 |
| 12 | Nashua, NH | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $46,154 | $22.19 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,111 | $21.69 |
| 15 | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,072 | $20.23 |
| 16 | Duluth, GA | $41,929 | $20.16 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $41,593 | $20.00 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $36,259 | $17.43 |
| 19 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $34,797 | $16.73 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $33,043 | $15.89 |
Interpreter And Translators are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Interpreter and translator salary details
An interpreter and translator's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an interpreter and translator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $43,870 | $3,656 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying interpreter and translator jobs
The highest paying types of interpreter and translators are technical translator, interpretive program coordinator, and language translator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptologic Linguist | $43,225 | $3,602 | $20.78 | 696 |
| Arabic Linguist | $44,433 | $3,703 | $21.36 | 742 |
| Sign Language Interpreter | $43,655 | $3,638 | $20.99 | 23,371 |
| Educational Interpreter | $39,807 | $3,317 | $19.14 | 5,541 |
| Bilingual Interpreter | $44,168 | $3,681 | $21.23 | 5,338 |
| Per Diem Interpreter | $42,675 | $3,556 | $20.52 | 38,934 |
Top companies hiring interpreter and translators now:
Which companies pay interpreter and translators the most?
Interpreter and translator salaries at Apple and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average interpreter and translator salary at companies like Google and Sensory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $120,538 | $57.95 |
| 2 | Meta | $117,542 | $56.51 |
| 3 | $109,690 | $52.74 | |
| 4 | Sensory | $104,916 | $50.44 |
| 5 | eBay | $97,527 | $46.89 |
| 6 | Arnold & Porter | $96,843 | $46.56 |
| 7 | Bloomberg | $90,852 | $43.68 |
| 8 | Honda Aircraft | $89,458 | $43.01 |
| 9 | Amazon | $87,061 | $41.86 |
| 10 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $80,241 | $38.58 |
| 11 | Stanford Health Care | $79,893 | $38.41 |
| 12 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $78,085 | $37.54 |
| 13 | NIO | $73,923 | $35.54 |
| 14 | Transparent Language | $73,549 | $35.36 |
| 15 | Cherokee Nation Businesses | $69,646 | $33.48 |
| 16 | China Construction America | $67,946 | $32.67 |
| 17 | Faraday Technology | $67,518 | $32.46 |
| 18 | Chicago Public Schools | $67,159 | $32.29 |
| 19 | Yoh | $66,039 | $31.75 |
| 20 | Bederson | $65,316 | $31.40 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Interpreter and translator salary trends
The average interpreter and translator salary has risen by $6,849 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average interpreter and translator earned $37,021 annually, but today, they earn $43,870 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for interpreter and translators over the last decade.
Compare interpreter and translator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average interpreter and translator salary over time
Compare interpreter and translator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Interpreter and translator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,900 | $21.09 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $43,500 | $20.89 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $41,900 | $20.12 | +5.5% |
| 2022 | $39,600 | $19.02 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $38,700 | $18.59 | +4.2% |
Recently added interpreter and translator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwinnett County Public Schools | Translator/Interpreter-Vietnamese-International Newcomer Center | Suwanee, GA | 06/27/2025 | $20,586 |
| Watertown Public Schools Ma | Interpreter and Translator (SY) | Watertown Town, MA | 06/26/2025 | $62,610 |
| KACE | Italian Linguist | Ashburn, VA | 06/25/2025 | $68,871 |
| Santa Maria Joint Union High School District | Translator/Interpreter-Substitute | Santa Maria, CA | 06/24/2025 | $58,373 |
| Lions International | Korean Translator and Interpreter | Oak Brook, IL | 06/21/2025 | $60,000 |
| Lions Clubs International | Korean Translator and Interpreter | Oak Brook, IL | 06/19/2025 | $60,000 |
| Avispa Technology | AI Linguist | Mountain View, CA | 06/16/2025 | $93,915 |
| San Diego Unified | Translator-Interpreter-Bilingual (English/Spanish) | San Diego, CA | 06/14/2025 | $57,831 |
| Spring Independent School District | Clerk-Translator-Interpreter-Sped | Houston, TX | 06/12/2025 | $34,577 |
| Marlborough Public Schools | Portuguese Translator/Interpreter | Marlborough, MA | 06/11/2025 | $45,000 |
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