Site interpreter vs per diem interpreter

The differences between site interpreters and per diem interpreters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a site interpreter and a per diem interpreter. Additionally, a site interpreter has an average salary of $44,292, which is higher than the $42,675 average annual salary of a per diem interpreter.

The top three skills for a site interpreter include social services, historic sites and target language. The most important skills for a per diem interpreter are patients, per diem, and customer service.

Site interpreter vs per diem interpreter overview

	Site Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Yearly salary	$44,292	$42,675
Hourly rate	$21.29	$20.52
Growth rate	20%	20%
Number of jobs	11,175	38,934
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Site interpreter vs per diem interpreter salary

Site interpreters and per diem interpreters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Site Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Average salary	$44,292	$42,675
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $72,000	Between $26,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	-	Davis, CA
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Cottage Health
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between site interpreter and per diem interpreter education

There are a few differences between a site interpreter and a per diem interpreter in terms of educational background:

	Site Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	History	Nursing
Most common college	Harvard University	Harvard University

Site interpreter vs per diem interpreter demographics

Here are the differences between site interpreters' and per diem interpreters' demographics:

	Site Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0%	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 13.2% White, 51.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.5% Asian, 10.8% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	15%	15%

Differences between site interpreter and per diem interpreter duties and responsibilities

Site interpreter example responsibilities.

Coach and teach students to achieve grades at or beyond expect IEP goals.
Help to build collaboration with internal and international patients with medical staff, social organizations and insurance companies.
Provide professional media relations, and VIP presentations to donor associations and government officials.

Per diem interpreter example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Facilitate communication between LEP patients/families and medical staff by providing accurate and comprehensive interpreter services (person/phone).
Monitor patient EKG patterns while patient is admitted.
Provide education and training while administering a base wide CPR training program.
Assist with documentation, groups, and ADL's for idd/m psych patients.
Serve as a liaison between patients and physicians to assist Somali speaking patients in understanding physician's questions.

Site interpreter vs per diem interpreter skills

Common site interpreter skills

Social Services, 35%
Historic Sites, 21%
Target Language, 20%
LEP, 6%
Interpretation Services, 6%
ASL, 4%

Common per diem interpreter skills

Patients, 37%
Per Diem, 16%
Customer Service, 11%
Acute Care, 4%
CPR, 4%
Rehabilitation, 3%

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Site Interpreter
Site Interpreter vs Per Diem Interpreter

Updated January 8, 2025

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