Staff interpreter vs per diem interpreter

The differences between staff 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 staff interpreter and a per diem interpreter. Additionally, a staff interpreter has an average salary of $43,714, which is higher than the $42,675 average annual salary of a per diem interpreter.

The top three skills for a staff interpreter include ASL, mental health and interpretation services. The most important skills for a per diem interpreter are patients, per diem, and customer service.

Staff interpreter vs per diem interpreter overview

	Staff Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Yearly salary	$43,714	$42,675
Hourly rate	$21.02	$20.52
Growth rate	20%	20%
Number of jobs	71,800	38,934
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Staff interpreter vs per diem interpreter salary

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

	Staff Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Average salary	$43,714	$42,675
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $70,000	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 staff interpreter and per diem interpreter education

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

	Staff Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	American Sign Language	Nursing
Most common college	Harvard University	Harvard University

Staff interpreter vs per diem interpreter demographics

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

	Staff Interpreter	Per Diem Interpreter
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 24.5% Female, 75.5%	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 11.5% White, 52.8% 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 staff interpreter and per diem interpreter duties and responsibilities

Staff interpreter example responsibilities.

Help to build collaboration with internal and international patients with medical staff, social organizations and insurance companies.
Create education and promotional materials relate to Latino health and wellness.

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.

Staff interpreter vs per diem interpreter skills

Common staff interpreter skills

ASL, 38%
Mental Health, 18%
Interpretation Services, 12%
Sign Language, 11%
LEP, 8%
Social Services, 6%

Common per diem interpreter skills

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

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Staff Interpreter
Staff Interpreter vs Per Diem Interpreter

Updated January 8, 2025

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