Medical interpreter vs court interpreter

The differences between medical 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 a medical interpreter and a court interpreter. Additionally, a court interpreter has an average salary of $44,300, which is higher than the $43,593 average annual salary of a medical interpreter.

The top three skills for a medical interpreter include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a court interpreter are vice versa, court cases, and court hearings.

Medical interpreter vs court interpreter overview

	Medical Interpreter	Court Interpreter
Yearly salary	$43,593	$44,300
Hourly rate	$20.96	$21.30
Growth rate	20%	20%
Number of jobs	47,796	4,250
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a medical interpreter do?

Medical Interpreters are healthcare professionals who bridge the communication gap between patients and doctors. They interpret and translate medical findings and results in a language that the patient understands. Medical Interpreters are expected to have a deep understanding of medical terms and procedures to translate the doctor's message to the patient. They should have a deep understanding of the patient's cultural context and background. This would help medical interpreters relate to the patient and gain credibility. They should keep all information they come across confidential.

What does a court interpreter do?

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.

Medical interpreter vs court interpreter salary

Medical interpreters and court interpreters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Interpreter	Court Interpreter
Average salary	$43,593	$44,300
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $68,000	Between $27,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Central Islip, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital	City of Houston
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between medical interpreter and court interpreter education

There are a few differences between a medical interpreter and a court interpreter in terms of educational background:

	Medical Interpreter	Court Interpreter
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Harvard University	Harvard University

Medical interpreter vs court interpreter demographics

Here are the differences between medical interpreters' and court interpreters' demographics:

	Medical Interpreter	Court Interpreter
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6%	Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 35.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 39.6% 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%

Differences between medical interpreter and court interpreter duties and responsibilities

Medical interpreter example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Inform providers and patients of relevant cultural issues to assist providers in delivering culturally competent patient care.
Assist another medical interpreter in interpreting for patients who have trouble understanding English spoken by health professionals and receptionists.
Create education and promotional materials relate to Latino health and wellness.

Court interpreter example responsibilities.

Coach and teach students to achieve grades at or beyond expect IEP goals.
Assist in court order psychiatric evaluations, DUI assessments, and prison interviews.
Follow all CyraCom policies and procedures relate to information confidentiality and interpreter ethics.
Provide professional interpretation services for individuals with limit English-language proficiency, typically in medical settings
Help to build collaboration with internal and international patients with medical staff, social organizations and insurance companies.
Interpret in court trials, depositions, administrative hearings and arbitrations.

Medical interpreter vs court interpreter skills

Common medical interpreter skills

Patients, 35%
Customer Service, 11%
Patient Care, 8%
LEP, 7%
Informed Consent, 4%
Target Language, 4%

Common court interpreter skills

Vice Versa, 39%
Court Cases, 18%
Court Hearings, 18%
Spanish Language, 12%
Immigration Court, 3%
Non-English, 2%

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Medical Interpreter vs Court Interpreter

Updated January 8, 2025

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