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The differences between interpreters and language translators 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 language translator. Additionally, a language translator has an average salary of $45,490, 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 language translator are proofreading, foreign language, and target language.
| Interpreter | Language Translator | |
| Yearly salary | $42,008 | $45,490 |
| Hourly rate | $20.20 | $21.87 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 3,772 | 21,450 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| 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.
Language translators are linguistic professionals who are responsible for converting information from one language to another to help people read the translation based on the original source. These translators must use a computer to translate the original language into their native language. They can work for software development companies as under contract independent foreign language translators. They must utilize target language to translate and transcribe critical information and performing immediate data analysis. Language translators must also provide interpretations for meetings, conferences, and administrative hearings for any sponsored functions.
Interpreters and language translators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interpreter | Language Translator | |
| Average salary | $42,008 | $45,490 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $60,000 | Between $29,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, VA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Cottage Health | Bloomberg |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between an interpreter and a language translator in terms of educational background:
| Interpreter | Language Translator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | English |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between interpreters' and language translators' demographics:
| Interpreter | Language Translator | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% | Male, 39.4% Female, 60.6% |
| 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, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 31.5% Asian, 18.0% White, 38.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |