Sign language interpreter demographics and statistics in the US
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Sign language interpreter demographics by:
Sign language interpreter gender statistics
75.9% of sign language interpreters are women and 24.1% of sign language interpreters are men.
- Female, 75.9%
- Male, 24.1%
Sign language interpreter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 75.9% |
| Male | 24.1% |
Sign language interpreter gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$45,673
Female income
$42,130
Sign language interpreter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sign language interpreter positions over time. Currently, 75.9% of sign language interpreters are female.
Sign language interpreter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 19.61% | 80.39% |
| 2011 | 23.65% | 76.35% |
| 2012 | 24.64% | 75.36% |
| 2013 | 24.37% | 75.63% |
| 2014 | 25.16% | 74.84% |
| 2015 | 22.25% | 77.75% |
| 2016 | 23.63% | 76.37% |
| 2017 | 24.07% | 75.93% |
| 2018 | 18.88% | 81.12% |
| 2019 | 20.45% | 79.55% |
| 2020 | 18.66% | 81.34% |
| 2021 | 24.11% | 75.89% |
Sign language interpreter related jobs gender ratio
We compared sign language 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% |
| Sign Language Interpreter | 24% | 76% |
| 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%
Sign language interpreter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sign language interpreters is White, which makes up 53.4% of all sign language interpreters. Comparatively, 22.9% of sign language interpreters are Hispanic or Latino and 11.8% of sign language interpreters are Asian.
- White, 53.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 22.9%
- Asian, 11.8%
- Black or African American, 7.0%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Sign language interpreter race
| Sign language interpreter race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22.9% |
| Asian | 11.8% |
| Black or African American | 7.0% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Sign language interpreter race and ethnicity over time
See how sign language interpreter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sign language interpreter race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.80% | 7.80% | 8.06% | 19.02% |
| 2011 | 59.22% | 6.55% | 9.76% | 20.69% |
| 2012 | 59.22% | 8.00% | 10.34% | 18.14% |
| 2013 | 61.61% | 7.47% | 8.91% | 17.93% |
| 2014 | 58.66% | 9.36% | 11.27% | 17.87% |
| 2015 | 61.51% | 7.50% | 10.78% | 17.35% |
| 2016 | 59.31% | 7.38% | 11.13% | 18.65% |
| 2017 | 62.75% | 7.83% | 9.29% | 16.59% |
| 2018 | 54.97% | 6.92% | 13.00% | 22.72% |
| 2019 | 61.18% | 7.06% | 10.10% | 18.24% |
| 2020 | 54.02% | 7.02% | 12.37% | 22.00% |
| 2021 | 53.44% | 7.00% | 11.84% | 22.93% |
Sign language interpreter wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown sign language interpreters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian sign language interpreters have the lowest average salary at $40,960.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $50,777 |
| White | $47,511 |
| Black or African American | $42,738 |
| Asian | $40,960 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,059 |
Average sign language interpreter age
See how the average age of sign language interpreters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sign language 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 |
Sign language interpreter age breakdown
The average age of sign language interpreters is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the sign language interpreter population.
Sign language interpreter age breakdown
| Sign Language Interpreter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Sign language interpreter educational attainment
The most common degree for sign language interpreters is bachelor's degree, with 48% of sign language interpreters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 33% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 48%
- Associate, 33%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Sign language interpreters by degree level
| Sign language interpreter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 48% |
| Associate | 33% |
| Master's | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Sign language interpreter jobs you might like
Sign language interpreter wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sign language interpreters with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $50,329 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sign language interpreters earn a median annual income of $46,137 compared to $45,881 for sign language interpreters with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,329 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,317 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,137 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,881 |
Sign language interpreter employment statistics
Most sign language interpreters work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where sign language interpreters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sign language interpreters work.
Sign language interpreter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Sign language interpreter jobs by company type
Employees with the sign language interpreter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sign language interpreters prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Sign language interpreter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 62% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 24% |
| Government | 12% |
Sign language interpreter jobs by industry
The most common industries for sign language interpreters are education, government and professional.
Sign language interpreter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 58% |
| Government | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
Sign language interpreter turnover and employment statistics
Sign language interpreter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sign language interpreters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sign language interpreter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sign language 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 sign language interpreter tenure
The average sign language interpreter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,627 sign language interpreters resumes in Zippia's database.
Sign language interpreter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 19% |
Sign language interpreter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sign language 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 |
|---|---|---|
| News Photojournalist | 10.10% | 2,057 |
| Radio Show Host | 10.34% | 12,265 |
| Audience Coordinator | 12.01% | 23,628 |
| Entertainment Editor | 12.38% | 11,458 |
| Sign Language Interpreter | 14.90% | - |
| Screen Writer | 16.36% | 10,928 |
| Emcee | 16.36% | 58 |
Similar sign language interpreter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| News Photojournalist | 10.10% | 2,057 |
| Radio Show Host | 10.34% | 12,265 |
| Audience Coordinator | 12.01% | 23,628 |
| Entertainment Editor | 12.38% | 11,458 |
| Screen Writer | 16.36% | 10,928 |
| Emcee | 16.36% | 58 |
Foreign languages spoken by sign language interpreters
The most common foreign language among sign language interpreters is Spanish at 43.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.0% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 43.9%
- French, 8.0%
- Chinese, 4.8%
- German, 4.8%
- Arabic, 4.8%
- Other, 33.7%
Sign language interpreter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 43.9% |
| French | 8.0% |
| Chinese | 4.8% |
| German | 4.8% |
| Arabic | 4.8% |
| Other | 33.7% |
