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Site interpreter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a site interpreter. Site interpreters usually study history, english, or linguistics. 62% of site interpreters hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 200 real site interpreter resumes to see exactly what site interpreter education sections show.

The most common colleges for site interpreters are the University of Delaware and the University of Delaware.

There are also many online site interpreter courses to help get the education required to be a site interpreter.

There are certain site interpreter certifications that you should consider. These site interpreter certifications include Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) and Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish (CMI).

What education do you need to become a site interpreter?

What degree do you need to be a site interpreter?

The most common degree for site interpreters is bachelor's degree, with 62% of site interpreters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 62%
  • Master's, 13%
  • Associate, 12%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a site interpreter?

You should major in history to become a site interpreter. 31% of site interpreters major in history. Other common majors for a site interpreter include english and linguistics.

Most common colleges for site interpreters

Site interpreters often get their degrees at University of Delaware, College of William and Mary, and McDaniel College. Here are the most common colleges for site interpreters in the US based on their resumes.
Site interpreter common collegePercentages
University of Delaware10.26%
College of William and Mary10.26%
McDaniel College7.69%
Hood College7.69%
University of Illinois at Springfield7.69%

Best majors for site interpreters

RankMajorPercentages
1History30.7%
2English8.0%
3Linguistics5.7%
4Chemistry4.5%
5Psychology4.5%

Best colleges for site interpreters

The best colleges for site interpreters are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northwestern University.

A site interpreter with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for site interpreters. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become site interpreters.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

In-state tuition

$55,453

Enrollment

4,312

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

10. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

20 best online courses for site interpreters

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Top 10 most affordable universities for site interpreters

The most affordable schools for site interpreters are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for site interpreters are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for site interpreters.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

7. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for site interpreters

The hardest universities for site interpreters to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for site interpreters are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for site interpreters based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

2. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

8. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,488

9. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

10. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

Admissions rate

18%

SAT average

1,502

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for site interpreters

The easiest schools for site interpreters to get into are San Francisco State University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a site interpreter without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for site interpreters.

1. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

6. College of New Rochelle, The

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

982

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

10. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana, PA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,019

Average site interpreter salary by education level

Site interpreters with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $51,195 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, site interpreters earn a median annual income of $46,857 compared to $46,593 for site interpreters with an Associate degree.
Site interpreter education levelSite interpreter salary
Master's Degree$51,195
High School Diploma or Less$41,877
Bachelor's Degree$46,857
Some College/ Associate Degree$46,593

Site interpreter education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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