How much does an interpreter and translator make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $28.93 an hour or $5,014 a month.
- Hourly
- $28.93
- Average (mean)
- $66,360
- Jobs
- 52,060
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,070 | $17.82 | |
| 25th | $46,530 | $22.37 | |
| Median | $60,170 | $28.93 | |
| 75th | $80,830 | $38.86 | |
| 90th | $103,700 | $49.84 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| District of Columbia | $110,000 |
| Maryland | $88,550 |
| New York | $84,090 |
| Rhode Island | $82,320 |
| Massachusetts | $72,750 |
| Colorado | $71,790 |
| California | $70,770 |
| Connecticut | $68,340 |
| Minnesota | $66,410 |
| Oregon | $66,300 |
| Idaho | $66,130 |
| Utah | $65,770 |
| New Mexico | $63,550 |
| Maine | $63,470 |
| Wisconsin | $63,390 |
| Virginia | $63,030 |
| Vermont | $62,450 |
| Washington | $61,750 |
| Ohio | $61,230 |
| New Jersey | $58,970 |
| Georgia | $57,880 |
| Mississippi | $57,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,040 |
| Missouri | $57,010 |
| New Hampshire | $56,370 |
| Illinois | $55,290 |
| Kentucky | $53,590 |
| South Dakota | $53,140 |
| Nebraska | $53,050 |
| Arkansas | $52,490 |
| Tennessee | $51,080 |
| South Carolina | $50,860 |
| Nevada | $50,370 |
| Arizona | $50,150 |
| North Carolina | $50,030 |
| Oklahoma | $48,980 |
| Florida | $48,930 |
| Louisiana | $48,420 |
| North Dakota | $48,190 |
| Iowa | $48,150 |
| Indiana | $48,140 |
| Kansas | $47,950 |
| Montana | $47,850 |
| Texas | $47,510 |
| Alabama | $46,130 |
| Michigan | $45,310 |
| Hawaii | $42,270 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $101,500 |
| Washington, DC | $94,510 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $93,960 |
| New York, NY | $87,590 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $84,960 |
| San Francisco, CA | $83,680 |
| Baltimore, MD | $83,200 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $82,440 |
| Salem, OR | $80,960 |
| Akron, OH | $80,640 |
| Boise City, ID | $80,250 |
| Lancaster, PA | $78,890 |
| Richmond, VA | $78,030 |
| Rochester, NY | $77,770 |
| Oxnard, CA | $75,920 |
In other countries
Interpreter and Translator belongs to the international group "Translators, interpreters and other linguists".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Broadcast Announcer and Radio Disc Jockey$47,340
- News Analyst$62,200
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Editor$77,920
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner$72,420
- Media and Communication Worker$73,620
Frequently asked questions
How much does an interpreter and translator make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $28.93 ($60,170 a year).
How much does an interpreter and translator make a month?
About $5,014 a month before tax, based on a median of $60,170 a year.
How much does an interpreter and translator make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $37,070 or less a year ($17.82 an hour); the top 10% make $103,700 or more.
Which state pays interpreter and translators the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $110,000 a year, followed by Maryland ($88,550) and New York ($84,090).
Which city pays interpreter and translators the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $101,500 a year.
How many interpreter and translators are there in the United States?
About 52,060 people work as interpreter and translators.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.