Interpreter | Salary & Job Information

Becoming an Interpreter via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Penn Foster Career School is a US school (accredited) offering translation courses to train individuals to become top-notch translators, french interpreters, german interpreters, italian interpreters, spanish interpreters, spanish language and culture specialists, interpreters and translators, spanish professors, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 40,000 people employed as interpreters and translators alone in America, and their average annual salary is $45,700. English language and literature teachers make on average $65,860 per year and there are about 65,490 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Penn Foster Career School that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for an Interpreter
  • external ministry department
  • training institute
  • diplomat's office
  • university
  • government agency
  • travel agency
  • hospitably department
  • personal relationship department
  • sales department
  • marketing department
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Interpreter
  • travel abroad
  • meet interesting people
  • work for themselves
  • fulfill an important need
  • help others
  • have a job that is in demand
  • learn about new cultures
  • work for the federal government
  • earn a nice salary
  • bring other cultures together
Potential Drawbacks
  • listen very carefully
  • speak for strangers
  • work in strange places
  • follow someone elses schedule
  • rely on good faith aspects
  • believe whatever you hear
  • say things you don't believe
  • keep your opinion to yourself
  • close is not good enough
  • speak only when speaking for another
Related Professions to Consider
  • Medical Interpreter
  • Interpreter Dispatcher
  • Sign Language Interpreter
  • Interpreter
  • Secondary School Teacher
  • Translator
  • Tour Guide
  • Tertiary Lecturer
  • Linguist
  • Foreign Policy Officer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Interpreter
  • Describe your dream job?
  • Why you are better than other applicants?
  • How did you hear about this position?
  • How long do you expect to work here if hired?
  • Please describe relevant experience that you have.?
  • Are you a team player?
  • What kind of salary do you need?
  • Do you know anyone who works for us?
  • Why would you like to work for this company?
  • Are you applying for other jobs?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Geological seismic interpreter
  • Education - Sign Language Interpreter Aide
  • Sign Language Interpreter
  • Russian Interpreter
  • Per Diem Somali Interpreter
  • Live Interpreter
  • Interpreter ArabicPRN
  • Interpreter SpanishPRN
  • Foreign Language (Spanish) Interpreter
  • Medical Interpreter
Interpreter Training books Interpreter (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Linguistics
  • French
  • Spanish
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Korean
  • Arabic
  • Greek
  • German

Interpreter Salary Information

Category: English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Total # Employed in the US 65,490
Average Yearly Salary $65,860
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$33,720 $43,700 $58,870 $80,900 $107,020
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.7% 2.7% 2.3% 15.3% 34.6% 44.2%
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Alabama - $51,050
Arkansas - $54,270
California - $49,140
Colorado - $83,430
Connecticut - $52,900
Delaware - $76,130
District of Columbia - $74,030
Florida - $67,180
Hawaii - $62,720
Idaho - $54,170
Indiana - $63,360
Kansas - $63,590
Kentucky - $55,430
Louisiana - $65,570
Maine - $46,830
Maryland - $56,030
Massachusetts - $51,650
Michigan - $61,830
Mississippi - $76,920
Missouri - $71,860
Montana - $66,880
Nebraska - $61,080
Nevada - $53,880
New Hampshire - $55,430
New Jersey - $48,450
New Mexico - $57,100
North Carolina - $60,680
North Dakota - $76,680
Ohio - $58,320
Oklahoma - $85,190
Oregon - $56,710
Pennsylvania - $48,870
South Carolina - $62,820
South Dakota - $47,940
Tennessee - $70,670
Utah - $66,590
Virginia - $77,980
Washington - $59,310
West Virginia - $52,200
Wisconsin - $69,750
Wyoming - $63,590
Guam - $59,640
Puerto Rico - $60,900


Category: Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Total # Employed in the US 27,020
Average Yearly Salary $63,300
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$33,320 $42,900 $56,740 $77,600 $103,030
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.7% 2.7% 2.3% 15.3% 34.6% 44.2%
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Alabama - $54,520
Arkansas - $66,190
California - $63,150
Colorado - $80,320
Connecticut - $53,940
Delaware - $70,040
Florida - $64,310
Hawaii - $58,930
Idaho - $54,960
Indiana - $57,160
Kansas - $50,290
Kentucky - $56,650
Louisiana - $65,270
Maine - $50,690
Maryland - $56,390
Massachusetts - $53,300
Michigan - $72,180
Mississippi - $61,880
Missouri - $69,860
Montana - $62,740
Nebraska - $62,160
Nevada - $53,710
New Hampshire - $47,620
New Jersey - $46,790
New Mexico - $61,720
New York - $45,810
North Carolina - $64,700
North Dakota - $66,740
Ohio - $58,900
Oklahoma - $75,820
Oregon - $56,830
Pennsylvania - $50,770
South Carolina - $63,690
South Dakota - $43,950
Tennessee - $64,690
Utah - $67,620
Virginia - $89,180
Washington - $59,850
West Virginia - $51,200
Wisconsin - $51,160
Wyoming - $61,760
Guam - $61,010
Puerto Rico - $65,970


Category: Interpreters and translators

Total # Employed in the US 40,000
Average Hourly Wage: $21.97/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.97 $14.58 $19.65 $27.2 $35.65
Average Yearly Salary $45,700
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$22,810 $30,320 $40,860 $56,580 $74,150
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.9% 10.9% 23.6% 14.2% 30.2% 13.9% 4.4%
Interpreters and translators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $32.24/hr $67,060
California $28.17/hr $58,580
Oklahoma $28.09/hr $58,430
Missouri $25.59/hr $53,230
Montana $25.29/hr $52,610
Connecticut $24.68/hr $51,330
Pennsylvania $23.78/hr $49,460
Utah $23.21/hr $48,270
Tennessee $23.14/hr $48,130
Oregon $22.97/hr $47,780
Colorado $22.58/hr $46,970
Mississippi $22.2/hr $46,170
Delaware $22.09/hr $45,950
North Carolina $21.84/hr $45,430
Nebraska $21.81/hr $45,370
Arkansas $21.78/hr $45,310
New Hampshire $21.59/hr $44,910
Iowa $20.54/hr $42,730
Guam $20.4/hr $42,430
South Carolina $20.17/hr $41,960
New York $20.02/hr $41,640
Alaska $19.98/hr $41,550
New Mexico $19.92/hr $41,430
Maine $19.66/hr $40,890
Hawaii $19.39/hr $40,330
Wyoming $19.39/hr $40,320
Maryland $18.92/hr $39,350
Kansas $18.65/hr $38,790
Indiana $18.55/hr $38,590
Puerto Rico $18.09/hr $37,620
West Virginia $17.89/hr $37,200
Ohio $17.7/hr $36,820
Idaho $17.51/hr $36,420
Virginia $17.4/hr $36,190
Louisiana $17.03/hr $35,430
Alabama $16.74/hr $34,810
Kentucky $16.59/hr $34,500
Washington $16.23/hr $33,750
Wisconsin $14.66/hr $30,490
Michigan $14.44/hr $30,040
New Jersey $14.3/hr $29,740
Nevada $14.25/hr $29,650
South Dakota $13.81/hr $28,730
District of Columbia $13.09/hr $27,230
Massachusetts $11.17/hr $23,240


Category: Speechlanguage pathologists

Total # Employed in the US 111,640
Average Hourly Wage: $32.86/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.34 $25.01 $31.29 $39.61 $48.95
Average Yearly Salary $68,350
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$42,310 $52,030 $65,090 $82,380 $101,820
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.9% 0.5% 0.7% 8.5% 86.6% 2.6%
Speechlanguage pathologists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
New York $46.23/hr $96,160
Alaska $39.06/hr $81,250
Mississippi $38.87/hr $80,860
Colorado $38.69/hr $80,480
Connecticut $37.82/hr $78,680
North Dakota $37.52/hr $78,050
Delaware $37.18/hr $77,320
South Carolina $37.13/hr $77,220
District of Columbia $36.84/hr $76,620
Oklahoma $35.75/hr $74,360
Florida $35.23/hr $73,270
Virginia $34.93/hr $72,660
Tennessee $34.15/hr $71,040
Montana $33.78/hr $70,270
Missouri $33.45/hr $69,570
Massachusetts $33.43/hr $69,540
Hawaii $33.21/hr $69,080
Utah $32.99/hr $68,620
Ohio $32.27/hr $67,110
Kansas $31.45/hr $65,410
Kentucky $31.33/hr $65,160
Wyoming $31.25/hr $64,990
Oregon $31.18/hr $64,860
Idaho $30.82/hr $64,110
California $30.06/hr $62,530
North Carolina $29.75/hr $61,880
New Hampshire $29.45/hr $61,250
Puerto Rico $29.42/hr $61,200
Alabama $29.11/hr $60,540
Washington $28.82/hr $59,950
Iowa $28.81/hr $59,920
Nebraska $28.79/hr $59,890
Guam $28.66/hr $59,620
Maryland $28.65/hr $59,590
Nevada $28.32/hr $58,900
Indiana $28.14/hr $58,530
Arkansas $28.05/hr $58,340
Maine $27.89/hr $58,010
Wisconsin $27.82/hr $57,870
Louisiana $27.7/hr $57,610
South Dakota $27.33/hr $56,850
Michigan $26.9/hr $55,940
New Jersey $25.29/hr $52,610
New Mexico $25.17/hr $52,360
Pennsylvania $24.64/hr $51,240
West Virginia $23/hr $47,830


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