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Staff interpreter education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a staff interpreter. Staff interpreters usually study american sign language, special education, or linguistics. 52% of staff interpreters hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 279 real staff interpreter resumes to see exactly what staff interpreter education sections show.
The most common colleges for staff interpreters are the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
There are also many online staff interpreter courses to help get the education required to be a staff interpreter.
There are certain staff interpreter certifications that you should consider. These staff interpreter certifications include National Interpreter Certification (NIC) and Certified Interpreter.
What education do you need to become a staff interpreter?
What degree do you need to be a staff interpreter?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 28%
- Master's, 13%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a staff interpreter?
- Linguistics, 8%
- English, 7%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for staff interpreters
| Staff interpreter common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 7.69% |
| Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | 7.69% |
| University of the Southwest | 5.13% |
| University of South Florida | 5.13% |
| Temple University | 5.13% |
Best majors for staff interpreters
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Sign Language | 19.5% |
| 2 | Special Education | 8.6% |
| 3 | Linguistics | 7.8% |
| 4 | English | 7.0% |
| 5 | Psychology | 6.3% |
Best colleges for staff interpreters
The best colleges for staff interpreters are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northwestern University.
A staff 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 staff 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 staff 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$55,453
Enrollment
4,312
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
20 best online courses for staff interpreters
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Top 10 most affordable universities for staff interpreters
The most affordable schools for staff 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 staff 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 staff 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. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
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 staff interpreters
The hardest universities for staff interpreters to get into are Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for staff 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 staff 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. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,488
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
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 staff interpreters
The easiest schools for staff interpreters to get into are San Francisco State University, mount saint mary's university, and our lady of the lake university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a staff 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 staff 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. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
7. College of New Rochelle, The
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
982
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,069
10. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
Average staff interpreter salary by education level
| Staff interpreter education level | Staff interpreter salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,367 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,382 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,189 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,934 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025