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The differences between translators and authors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a translator and an author. Additionally, an author has an average salary of $78,368, which is higher than the $44,278 average annual salary of a translator.
The top three skills for a translator include target language, translation services and vice versa. The most important skills for an author are veterans, JAN, and DOD.
| Translator | Author | |
| Yearly salary | $44,278 | $78,368 |
| Hourly rate | $21.29 | $37.68 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 1,206 | 953 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A translator is an expert of one or multiple languages, responsible for transcribing communication between parties for easy comprehension. Translators often work with written documents, relaying the core context and original message from the source. They should also be able to translate jargon, slang, cultural expressions, and related technical terms in an understandable format, depending on the level of the target audience. A translator must be highly fluent with the language to render ideas accurately, as well as have excellent time-management skills to meet project deadlines.
An author is an individual individual responsible for developing creative stories published in formats such as books, movies, or television scripts. Authors conduct research of information that may be included in their works, whether they are fictional or non-fictional. Before publicly making their work available, authors must present a draft to editors for feedback and approval. Authors may work as self-employed or freelance and sell their written content to book publishers or advertising agencies.
Translators and authors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Translator | Author | |
| Average salary | $44,278 | $78,368 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $70,000 | Between $51,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Beverly, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Apple | John Wiley & Sons |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a translator and an author in terms of educational background:
| Translator | Author | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | English | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between translators' and authors' demographics:
| Translator | Author | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 32.0% Asian, 18.4% White, 37.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 16% |