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Job outlook for sign language translators in the United States
Are sign language translator jobs in demand?
Sign language translator job and salary trends over time
Sign language translator jobs over time
Sign language translator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 32 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 33 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 32 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 29 | 0.00% |
Average sign language translator salary over time
Sign language translator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,518 | $21.88 | +1.0% |
| 2025 | $45,083 | $21.67 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $43,430 | $20.88 | +5.8% |
| 2023 | $41,047 | $19.73 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $40,116 | $19.29 | +4.4% |
Sign language translator jobs by state
Most common states for sign language translators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 236 | 18% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 110 | 18% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 207 | 11% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 84 | 9% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 544 | 8% |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 56 | 8% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 536 | 6% |
| 8 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 207 | 6% |
| 9 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 168 | 6% |
| 10 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 117 | 6% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 584 | 5% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 356 | 5% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 332 | 5% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 231 | 5% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 158 | 5% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 103 | 5% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 52 | 5% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 49 | 5% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 41 | 5% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 37 | 5% |
Sign Language Translator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of sign language translator experts
The University of Texas at Arlington
Washington and Lee University
Cedar Crest College
Goshen College
Boise State University
Gardner-Webb University
What general advice would you give to a Sign Language Translator?
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 Translator 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 Translators 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).
Mark Rush
Prof. of Politics and LawWashington and Lee University
Political Science And Government
What general advice would you give to a Sign Language Translator?
Mark Rush: Good, clear writing is critical. But, it requires practice and regular reading to maintain a sense of clarity to be able to express your ideas succinctly. I'd recommend acquiring and maintaining skill in at least one other language. This is a means of empowerment as well as ensuring real cultural understanding-not just cultural understanding translated into English.
What Sign Language Translator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mark Rush: Be patient and flexible. Sometimes things may not go exactly the way you'd like them to. A career is a long game. You are just starting out. Take the time to think about what you want to do. You will probably alter your career path numerous times. Each time you do that, it's as if you were starting out fresh.
What will help Sign Language Translators increase their earning potential?
Mark Rush: Good, clear writing is critical. But, it requires practice and regular reading to maintain a sense of clarity to be able to express your ideas succinctly.
I'd recommend acquiring and maintaining skill in at least one other language. This is a means of empowerment as well as ensuring real cultural understanding-not just cultural understanding translated into English.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Sign Language Translators?
Dr. LuAnn McCracken Fletcher: For English, writing, and communication majors, and for all humanities majors in general, combining one's major with other majors or certificates has always been both possible and encouraged. Not because a humanities major is insufficient as a career major in and of itself, but because combining that major with specific coursework in marketing, management, or public relations, with coursework in one of the sciences, social sciences, or health sciences, or with coursework in the arts, demonstrates to a prospective employer that you are an individual who is comfortable with interdisciplinary approaches to thinking. And if you wish to write for a specific discipline, say science writing, technical writing, food writing, or nature writing, you'll strengthen your attractiveness to an employer if you have coursework or an internship in that field. As far as specific courses to take? If you lack the ability to use basic spreadsheet software or basic presentation software, take an introductory computer science course or a visual design course to get that knowledge (sometimes these courses are offered in business or communication departments). If you haven't taken a public speaking course, do so. If you are seeking a career that will specifically use the content of your humanities major (as opposed to a career that will employ the soft skills you have developed as a humanities major), seek a course or certificate in the engaged or public humanities.
I can't stress enough the value of completing one or more internships in career areas of interest. As a humanities major, one has a wide range of choices, because one's communication, creative, and critical thinking skills can make one appealing to many employers. I want to acknowledge the difficulty of taking an unpaid internship if you are economically challenged or have a family you must support. If this is true for you, seek paid work experiences that will at least help you to demonstrate your interests and which will provide opportunities for you to practice skills pertinent to an intended career. It's important to tell your story well for prospective employers, and highlighting, via your resume, the value of your internship and work experiences for the job you seek will be key.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Sign Language Translator job market given the pandemic?
Colleen Geier: There is a national shortage of interpreters every year but things have changed in 2020. A lot of community interpreting work slowed down because people were not going to as many appointments and activities. On the other hand, a lot more virtual interpreting is being done. We've always had some virtual interpreting, but I think we will see a higher percentage of interpreting work remain virtual post-pandemic. We're all learning that many things can be done virtually and it saves us money and time. Community work will go back to being our main way of providing interpreting services, but I believe more of us will continue to do at least some of our work from home.
What Sign Language Translator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Colleen Geier: Interpreting studies is tough to have a gap year – if you aren't using the language, you forget it and the same with whatever interpreting skills have been acquired. If a student has to take a gap year it is crucial that they continue to use ASL and practice! That might be by chatting with people via Zoom and other platforms, taking an online class, joining some group. But you cannot stop signing for a year and expect to pick up where you left off.
What general advice would you give to a Sign Language Translator?
Colleen Geier: This was a scary thing for our 2020 graduates! They had to finish their internship virtually, and they graduated in the middle of a shutdown. Some of them got other jobs full or part time until interpreting work started opening up. I think we'll see similar situations with our 2021 graduates. Now that we have the vaccine, I hope we'll be starting to get back to normal by May, but we won't be fully there yet.
I always tell students to "keep their day job" because they graduate in May when interpreting work is slowing down for the summer. During the pandemic that's more important than ever. If they have a part-time job that is giving them some income, I suggest keeping it and starting to fill in interpreting around it as much as they can. If they are lucky enough to get a full-time interpreting position as a staff interpreter or at a school, then things will be closer to normal. For most 2021 graduates, their interpreting careers are likely to start off much slower than pre-pandemic.
Davina Snow
American Sign Language Professor & CoordinatorBoise State University
Department of World Languages
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Sign Language Translator job market given the pandemic?
Davina Snow: Of course, remote courses are now widespread, so that means we need more people who are familiar with small teaching resources and tools to use for teaching deaf/hh children or teaching the language. We are always in need of ASL interpreters in the video relay service and the education system. And we do need more people in the medical field who know enough ASL to communicate (not interpret) simple conversations with deaf/hh patients or at least understand our Deaf Culture where we need more allies to support our needs and provide better accessibility and accommodations.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Sign Language Translators in the next 3-5 years?
Davina Snow: Definitely video relay services and video conference platforms (not all are accessible for the deaf/hh citizens and need to be improved but will be more prevalent).
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Sign Language Translators in the next 5 years?
Davina Snow: Not only with ASL but also in other languages, we would see an increase in demand for more DIRECT accessible communication.
Dr. Mary High
Associate Professor of American Sign Language Director of the ASL ProgramGardner-Webb University
World Languages, Literature and Cultures Department
What general advice would you give to a Sign Language Translator?
Dr. Mary High: A BA degree in ASL gives you the language and cultural knowledge to work with deaf people, but there are usually additional requirements, depending on the type of work you want. Interpreting is available at the BA level and the ASL degree, so it is the easiest to find a job immediately after graduation. I usually encourage students who think they want a career in another area also to get their training in interpreting if they can't go to grad school immediately or need to support themselves while in graduate school. Interpreting often has a flexible schedule that will allow you to go to grad school, and pays much better than most other part-time work.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Sign Language Translators in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Mary High: Remote interpreting is already very big in our field, and I expect it to continue to grow.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Sign Language Translators?
Dr. Mary High: The impact of the Coronavirus may push things faster toward remote interpreting. Many deaf people prefer live interpreters to remote interpreting right now, but that won’t be available because of the virus. Clients may become more accustomed to it. Businesses may also prefer it. This may push people to improve technology and become savvier in using it.