Interpreters and Translators
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Median pay: $60,170/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +1.7% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.
About 6,900 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
• Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
• Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
• Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
• Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
• Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
• Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
• Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.
What's the median pay for Interpreters and Translators?
The median pay for Interpreters and Translators is $60,170 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Interpreters and Translators?
Employment for Interpreters and Translators is projected to change +1.7% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.
What education is typically required for Interpreters and Translators?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Interpreters and Translators?
About 6,900 openings per year, on average, over the decade.