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Job outlook for sign language interpreters in the United States
Are sign language interpreter jobs in demand?
Sign Language Interpreter job and salary trends over time
Sign Language Interpreter jobs over time
Sign Language Interpreter job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,038 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,224 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,300 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,232 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,077 | 0.00% |
Average sign language interpreter salary over time
Sign Language Interpreter salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,655 | $20.99 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $43,238 | $20.79 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | $41,653 | $20.03 | +5.8% |
| 2022 | $39,367 | $18.93 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $38,475 | $18.50 | +4.4% |
Sign Language Interpreter jobs by state
Most common states for sign language interpreters
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 241 | 18% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 113 | 18% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 487 | 12% |
| 4 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 212 | 12% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 644 | 9% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 91 | 9% |
| 7 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 57 | 8% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 550 | 6% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 354 | 6% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 219 | 6% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 187 | 6% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 186 | 6% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 125 | 6% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 110 | 6% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 61 | 6% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 58 | 6% |
| 17 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,025 | 5% |
| 18 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 374 | 5% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 45 | 5% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 40 | 5% |
Most common cities for sign language interpreters
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fredericksburg | 17 | 60% | $63,306 |
| 2 | Asheboro | 15 | 57% | $32,674 |
| 3 | Spartanburg | 18 | 48% | $37,940 |
| 4 | Annapolis | 11 | 28% | $52,989 |
| 5 | Austin | 6 | 24% | $45,448 |
| 6 | Thomasville | 6 | 22% | $32,664 |
| 7 | Nashua | 17 | 19% | $48,840 |
| 8 | State College | 8 | 19% | $44,549 |
| 9 | Dearborn | 15 | 16% | $43,113 |
| 10 | Topeka | 15 | 12% | $39,973 |
| 11 | Redding | 6 | 7% | $62,709 |
| 12 | Renton | 6 | 6% | $59,204 |
| 13 | Lawrence | 5 | 5% | $39,970 |
| 14 | Charleston | 5 | 4% | $37,577 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 17 | 1% | $41,542 |
| 16 | San Jose | 7 | 1% | $61,577 |
Sign Language Interpreter job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of sign language interpreter experts
The University of Texas at Arlington
Bethel University
Bakersfield College
International Association of Conference Interpreters
NAJIT
What general advice would you give to a Sign Language Interpreter?
Dr. Lisalee Egbert: In working with the Deaf Community - either with children or adults - language skills in ASL as well as allyship and/or advocacy should be focused on.
What Sign Language Interpreter skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lisalee Egbert: While skills in a given area in our field (such as ASL and educational understanding in Deaf Ed, ASL/English proficiency in interpreting, etc.) is paramount, learning and interaction WITH and FOR the Deaf Community should be a close 2nd!
What will help Sign Language Interpreters increase their earning potential?
Dr. Lisalee Egbert: In working with any Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D in Deaf should always be capitalized), someone graduating in the field should be fluent in ASL and deeply award of Deaf Culture. From that point, graduates should ensure to secure certification/license/certificates in the given field (ASL interpreting, Deaf Education, etc).
Laura Polhemus Ph.D.
Advanced Assistant ProfessorBethel University
American Sign Language
What general advice would you give to a Sign Language Interpreter?
Laura Polhemus Ph.D.: Always be involved with the Deaf community where you live. Go to events, volunteer where appropriate, and seek out ways to be involved. This will grow your ASL skills and your understanding of how to be a good ally. Never stop learning. Listen to podcasts, watch ASL news, read, go to workshops, seek out mentors, and continue to learn and grow to become more knowledgeable of the world and the languages you're using. Give yourself grace and practice self-care. It will take many hours of practice to become an expert, so don't expect that to happen immediately. The biggest difference between experts and novices in this field is that experts know how to see a mistake and turn it around into something that motivates them or sometime they can learn from instead of seeing it only as a negative. Take advantage of massages, counseling, chiropractic services, and other types of self-care to keep yourself healthy physically and mentally.
What Sign Language Interpreter skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Laura Polhemus Ph.D.: We are continuing to see more and more virtual interpreting. Knowing how to use technology, how to set up a background and lighting for optimal viewing, and having strategies for making interpreting happen smoothly on various virtual platforms is essential. The Center for Atypical Language Interpreting offers many resources that will prepare you to work with individuals from a variety of language backgrounds. There are many Deaf individuals obtaining advanced degrees and working in high level positions. Knowing how to behave with the utmost professionalism in a multitude of work settings and having strong academic language skills in both American Sign Language and English are important in working with these individuals.
What will help Sign Language Interpreters increase their earning potential?
Laura Polhemus Ph.D.: Most of the higher paying jobs with more opportunities are located in larger cities, so that could be a good place to start if you have flexibility in your location. Becoming an employee at an agency or company will give you a steady income and benefits, while being an independent contractor means you make more per hour while handling your own benefits and taxes. Take special training and professional development to eventually become an expert in specific areas of interpreting such as healthcare or legal interpreting. Study, join study groups, get Deaf and interpreting mentors, and work towards becoming certified as soon as possible.
Thomas Moran
Professor, American Sign LanguageBakersfield College
Language Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Sign Language Interpreter job market given the pandemic?
Thomas Moran: Without a doubt, video relay interpreting is the biggest thing to come out of the pandemic.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Sign Language Interpreters?
Thomas Moran: NIC certification is the national certification that guarantees the highest degree of employment and the highest pay.
What's a good job out of college for Sign Language Interpreters?
Thomas Moran: A good job is academic interpreting in a college or university. This depends, of course, on skill level. Colleges and universities may have certification requirements or may not. They are not bound by state law in California which requires certification for K-12 interpreting.
Katty Kauffman
US-based Freelance Interpreter, member of AIIC, representative of the VEGA Outreach and Mentoring NetworkInternational Association of Conference Interpreters
What type of skills will young Sign Language Interpreters need?
Katty Kauffman: Interpreters need a range of skills, which fall roughly into three categories:
- Skills covered by your university program. These include technical skills in Simultaneous Interpreting, Consecutive Interpreting and Sight Translation, as well as professional ethics. Ethics are increasingly important at the moment when, because of Covid-related health restrictions, many of us are, unfortunately, having to work without a boothmate until normality returns, and still need to maintain a high level of trust with agencies and clients.
- Skills you may not have covered in school, which are vital as a freelancer. You need soft skills to help you network and engage with potential clients. Applying for pre-candidacy and subsequently joining AIIC as a full member can also raise your visibility within the industry.
An understanding of how to run your own business is also essential. Know what contract you are being offered, how to write an invoice, and which tax structure is best for you. If you are planning on working for yourself, be aware of what is happening with the PRO Act (H.R.2474) and the consequences it may have for freelance workers.
-Technical skills. On the business side, you are creating your own brand, so nowadays, you need a website and a social media presence. Understanding the workings of various RSI platforms and the equipment you need is also fundamental.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Sign Language Interpreters to find work opportunities?
Katty Kauffman: 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.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Sign Language Interpreter job market given the pandemic?
Aimee Benavides: One big trend right now, that will affect many professions, is the push to limit the ability of service providers to be independent contractors. This has proven to be a controversial subject as the reactions to laws such as AB5 enacted in California and S4204, which was proposed in New Jersey, have demonstrated. These bills have made many freelancers fear the viability of future contract work, while others welcome the prospect of full-time employment with benefits. Navigating the complexities is not easy. It will require that legislators listen to both stakeholders and constituents so that they may fine-tune laws to allow for the many nuances inherent to highly skilled professions such as a court, conference, and medical interpreting. Those who are entering the profession will need to have a clear idea of what is required to be a business owner, if they wish to operate independently.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Sign Language Interpreters?
Aimee Benavides: The pandemic has changed the way a lot of businesses and organizations function, and this has had an enormous impact on interpreters and, to a lesser degree, translators. Court interpreting has traditionally been provided in person at courthouses, legal offices, and conference rooms, throughout the country. Remote interpreting, for the most part, was considered a last resort. Under current circumstances, courts and other public sector offices have had no option but to adopt remote interpreting as the means to get work done, and it is logical that some offices may continue to emphasize the use of remote services, after the pandemic, as a way to cut costs. It will be of utmost importance to insist that interpreter qualifications not be bypassed to save resources, or for the sake of convenience, in critical environments such as hospitals or courts. In order to preserve the essential progress made over the years with regard to language access, it is crucial to adhere to clear, well-founded professional rules in the areas of interpreting and translation. It will also be important for interpreters to adapt to different technologies, determine when they are appropriate, and ultimately uphold best practices. Interpreters who are familiar with online interpreting platforms and remote technology will ultimately have more opportunities and options than those who do not.