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Best states for a sign language interpreter
Quoted expert
Katty Kauffman
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for sign language interpreters? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for sign language interpreter jobs.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for sign language interpreter jobs.
Oregon is the best state for jobs for sign language interpreters, and Oklahoma is the worst. The most common pay in Oregon is $59,877, while the median pay in Oklahoma is $30,000.We found that Oregon is the best state for sign language interpreter jobs, whereas Oklahoma is the worst.
10 best states for sign language interpreters in 2025
1. Oregon
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 487 Average annual salary: $59,877 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 2.462. Virginia
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 550 Average annual salary: $62,120 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 1.223. West Virginia
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 212 Average annual salary: $52,158 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 2.914. Washington
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 374 Average annual salary: $58,774 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.075. Massachusetts
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 644 Average annual salary: $54,336 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.476. Vermont
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 113 Average annual salary: $51,840 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 3.097. District of Columbia
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 57 Average annual salary: $78,608 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 0.718. California
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 1,537 Average annual salary: $56,726 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.19. New York
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 535 Average annual salary: $57,071 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.8710. New Hampshire
Total sign language interpreter jobs: 241 Average annual salary: $48,369 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 2.89
Sign language interpreter jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a sign language interpreter
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a sign language interpreter
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $59,877 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 487 |
| 2 | Virginia | $62,120 | $36,000 | 8,470,020 | 550 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $52,158 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 212 |
| 4 | Washington | $58,774 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 374 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $54,336 | $32,000 | 6,859,819 | 644 |
| 6 | Vermont | $51,840 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 113 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $78,608 | $46,000 | 693,972 | 57 |
| 8 | California | $56,726 | $33,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,537 |
| 9 | New York | $57,071 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 535 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $48,369 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 241 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $50,990 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 219 |
| 12 | Maryland | $52,920 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 354 |
| 13 | Colorado | $52,989 | $32,000 | 5,607,154 | 246 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $47,238 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 125 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $54,921 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 245 |
| 16 | Utah | $53,852 | $32,000 | 3,101,833 | 45 |
| 17 | Alaska | $54,334 | $35,000 | 739,795 | 18 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $47,056 | $29,000 | 4,454,189 | 163 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $47,405 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 110 |
| 20 | Florida | $47,274 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,025 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $48,539 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 71 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $47,187 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 61 |
| 23 | Nevada | $48,332 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 69 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $45,794 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 25 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $44,272 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 40 |
| 26 | Maine | $46,932 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 45 |
| 27 | Montana | $43,097 | $26,000 | 1,050,493 | 58 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $43,320 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 150 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $45,225 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 345 |
| 30 | Michigan | $42,938 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 318 |
| 31 | Kansas | $40,085 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 187 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $45,552 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 202 |
| 33 | Iowa | $40,006 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 186 |
| 34 | Arizona | $41,427 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 297 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $40,470 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 45 |
| 36 | Missouri | $42,558 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 206 |
| 37 | Texas | $40,380 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 954 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $41,070 | $25,000 | 5,795,483 | 215 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $37,747 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 241 |
| 40 | Illinois | $37,975 | $23,000 | 12,802,023 | 651 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,207 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 119 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $34,507 | $23,000 | 1,427,538 | 56 |
| 43 | Delaware | $32,551 | $19,000 | 961,939 | 91 |
| 44 | Georgia | $39,655 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 360 |
| 45 | Indiana | $36,238 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 267 |
| 46 | Idaho | $36,159 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 66 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $32,722 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 443 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $36,691 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 68 |
| 49 | Ohio | $34,209 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 286 |
| 50 | Alabama | $33,063 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 125 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $30,000 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 81 |
Highest paying states for sign language interpreters
| Rank | State | Avg. Sign Language Interpreter Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $59,877 |
| 2 | Virginia | $62,120 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $52,158 |
| 4 | Washington | $58,774 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $54,336 |
| 6 | Vermont | $51,840 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $78,608 |
| 8 | California | $56,726 |
| 9 | New York | $57,071 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $48,369 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $50,990 |
| 12 | Maryland | $52,920 |
| 13 | Colorado | $52,989 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $47,238 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $54,921 |
| 16 | Utah | $53,852 |
| 17 | Alaska | $54,334 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $47,056 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $47,405 |
| 20 | Florida | $47,274 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $48,539 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $47,187 |
| 23 | Nevada | $48,332 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $45,794 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $44,272 |
| 26 | Maine | $46,932 |
| 27 | Montana | $43,097 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $43,320 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $45,225 |
| 30 | Michigan | $42,938 |
| 31 | Kansas | $40,085 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $45,552 |
| 33 | Iowa | $40,006 |
| 34 | Arizona | $41,427 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $40,470 |
| 36 | Missouri | $42,558 |
| 37 | Texas | $40,380 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $41,070 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $37,747 |
| 40 | Illinois | $37,975 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,207 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $34,507 |
| 43 | Delaware | $32,551 |
| 44 | Georgia | $39,655 |
| 45 | Indiana | $36,238 |
| 46 | Idaho | $36,159 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $32,722 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $36,691 |
| 49 | Ohio | $34,209 |
| 50 | Alabama | $33,063 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $30,000 |
Expert opinions on the best states for sign language interpreters
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for sign language interpreters to find work opportunities?
Katty Kauffman
US-based Freelance Interpreter, member of AIIC, representative of the VEGA Outreach and Mentoring Network, International Association of Conference Interpreters
Conference interpreting is a smaller industry in the U.S. than it is in Europe, where there are a lot of large institutions working daily in multiple languages. Although we do have large institutions that employ conference interpreters, like the UN in New York and the World Bank, IDB, and Pan American Health Organization in Washington, unless they have a particularly sought after language combination, young graduates will find more opportunities by starting their working life in medical institutions or as court interpreters. Both of these require additional, specialized studies and national or state certification, so make sure you know your state's requirements so you can make the best choices for your career.
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Updated January 8, 2025