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The differences between interpreters and court interpreters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an interpreter and a court interpreter. Additionally, a court interpreter has an average salary of $44,300, which is higher than the $42,008 average annual salary of an interpreter.
The top three skills for an interpreter include patients, customer service and ASL. The most important skills for a court interpreter are vice versa, court cases, and court hearings.
| Interpreter | Court Interpreter | |
| Yearly salary | $42,008 | $44,300 |
| Hourly rate | $20.20 | $21.30 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 3,772 | 4,250 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An interpreter is responsible for facilitating communication between different language speakers by translating information from one language to another for easy comprehension. Some interpreters work on spoken languages while the rest specialize in sign languages. Interpreters must have strong knowledge and expertise in their chosen language to translate communication accurately and efficiently. They should also provide written texts as needed, especially in the transcription and publishing industry. Interpreters must be detail-oriented all the time to communicate the message effectively without altering its core content.
A court interpreter is responsible for translating one language to another in real-time in a courtroom setting. Court interpreters work closely with clients and law officers to relay accurate and reliable information from the actual context. Apart from having excellent communication skills, a court interpreter should also possess extensive knowledge of the legal industry to understand and interpret terms accordingly. They also translate legal documents for court reference. In some cases, a court interpreter may also read the statements beforehand to have a good grasp of courtroom procedures.
Interpreters and court interpreters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interpreter | Court Interpreter | |
| Average salary | $42,008 | $44,300 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $60,000 | Between $27,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, VA | Central Islip, NY |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New York |
| Best paying company | Cottage Health | City of Houston |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between an interpreter and a court interpreter in terms of educational background:
| Interpreter | Court Interpreter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between interpreters' and court interpreters' demographics:
| Interpreter | Court Interpreter | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% | Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 32.8% Asian, 17.5% White, 38.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 35.4% Asian, 14.1% White, 38.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |