Medical interpreter demographics and statistics in the US
Medical interpreter demographics research summary. Zippia estimates medical interpreter demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our medical 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 medical interpreters after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 17,526 medical interpreters currently employed in the United States.
- 67.6% of all medical interpreters are women, while 32.4% are men.
- The average medical interpreter age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of medical interpreters is White (39.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (35.3%), Asian (14.3%) and Unknown (5.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 15% of all medical interpreters are LGBT.
- Medical interpreters are 80% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Medical interpreter demographics by:
Medical interpreter gender statistics
67.6% of medical interpreters are women and 32.4% of medical interpreters are men.
- Female, 67.6%
- Male, 32.4%
Medical interpreter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 67.6% |
| Male | 32.4% |
Medical interpreter gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$45,446
Female income
$42,189
Medical interpreter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in medical interpreter positions over time. Currently, 67.6% of medical interpreters are female.
Medical interpreter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.92% | 73.08% |
| 2011 | 31.87% | 68.13% |
| 2012 | 33.05% | 66.95% |
| 2013 | 32.72% | 67.28% |
| 2014 | 33.67% | 66.33% |
| 2015 | 30.17% | 69.83% |
| 2016 | 31.84% | 68.16% |
| 2017 | 32.37% | 67.63% |
| 2018 | 26.00% | 74.00% |
| 2019 | 27.96% | 72.04% |
| 2020 | 25.72% | 74.28% |
| 2021 | 32.42% | 67.58% |
Medical interpreter related jobs gender ratio
We compared medical 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% |
| Medical Interpreter | 32% | 68% |
| 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%
Medical interpreter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among medical interpreters is White, which makes up 39.6% of all medical interpreters. Comparatively, 35.3% of medical interpreters are Hispanic or Latino and 14.3% of medical interpreters are Asian.
- White, 39.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 35.3%
- Asian, 14.3%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- Black or African American, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Medical interpreter race
| Medical interpreter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 39.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35.3% |
| Asian | 14.3% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| Black or African American | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Medical interpreter race and ethnicity over time
See how medical interpreter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Medical interpreter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 48.00% | 5.51% | 10.48% | 31.41% |
| 2011 | 45.41% | 4.27% | 12.19% | 33.09% |
| 2012 | 45.41% | 5.72% | 12.76% | 30.53% |
| 2013 | 47.80% | 5.19% | 11.33% | 30.32% |
| 2014 | 44.85% | 7.07% | 13.69% | 30.26% |
| 2015 | 47.70% | 5.22% | 13.20% | 29.74% |
| 2016 | 45.50% | 5.09% | 13.55% | 31.05% |
| 2017 | 48.94% | 5.54% | 11.72% | 28.98% |
| 2018 | 41.16% | 4.64% | 15.42% | 35.11% |
| 2019 | 47.37% | 4.77% | 12.52% | 30.63% |
| 2020 | 40.21% | 4.73% | 14.79% | 34.40% |
| 2021 | 39.64% | 4.72% | 14.26% | 35.32% |
Medical interpreter wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown medical interpreters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian medical interpreters have the lowest average salary at $41,108.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $50,105 |
| White | $47,128 |
| Black or African American | $42,749 |
| Asian | $41,108 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $46,715 |
Average medical interpreter age
See how the average age of medical interpreters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Medical 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 |
Medical interpreter age breakdown
The average age of medical interpreters is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the medical interpreter population.
Medical interpreter age breakdown
| Medical Interpreter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Medical interpreter educational attainment
The most common degree for medical interpreters is bachelor's degree, with 51% of medical interpreters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 51%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 12%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 16%
Medical interpreters by degree level
| Medical interpreter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 51% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Master's | 12% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 16% |
Medical interpreter jobs you might like
Medical interpreter wage gap by degree level
According to the data, medical interpreters with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $49,697 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, medical interpreters earn a median annual income of $45,872 compared to $45,637 for medical interpreters with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,697 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,438 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,872 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,637 |
Medical interpreter employment statistics
Most medical interpreters work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where medical interpreters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where medical interpreters work.
Medical interpreter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Medical interpreter jobs by company type
Employees with the medical interpreter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most medical interpreters prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Medical interpreter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 80% |
| Government | 6% |
Medical interpreter jobs by industry
The most common industries for medical interpreters are health care, professional and education.
Medical interpreter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 54% |
| Professional | 15% |
| Education | 7% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Medical interpreter turnover and employment statistics
Medical interpreter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for medical interpreters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Medical interpreter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Medical 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 medical interpreter tenure
The average medical interpreter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,875 medical interpreters resumes in Zippia's database.
Medical interpreter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 24% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Medical interpreter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of medical 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stringer | 10.10% | 10,294 |
| Sports Commentator | 10.34% | 1,432 |
| Streaming Media Specialist | 12.01% | 15,083 |
| Desk Editor | 12.38% | 29,023 |
| Medical Interpreter | 14.90% | - |
| Information Writer | 16.36% | 68,605 |
| Track Announcer | 16.36% | 736 |
Similar medical interpreter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Stringer | 10.10% | 10,294 |
| Sports Commentator | 10.34% | 1,432 |
| Streaming Media Specialist | 12.01% | 15,083 |
| Desk Editor | 12.38% | 29,023 |
| Information Writer | 16.36% | 68,605 |
| Track Announcer | 16.36% | 736 |
Foreign languages spoken by medical interpreters
The most common foreign language among medical interpreters is Spanish at 56.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.6% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 6.5%.
- Spanish, 56.6%
- French, 7.6%
- Arabic, 6.5%
- Portuguese, 5.2%
- Russian, 3.7%
- Other, 20.4%
Medical interpreter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.6% |
| French | 7.6% |
| Arabic | 6.5% |
| Portuguese | 5.2% |
| Russian | 3.7% |
| Other | 20.4% |
