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Interpreter salary
Average interpreter salary
$42,008
How much does an interpreter make?
The average interpreter salary in the United States is $42,008. Interpreter salaries typically range between $29,000 and $60,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for interpreters is $20.2 per hour.
Interpreter salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Interpreters earn the highest average salary in Virginia.
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Where can an Interpreter earn more?
Interpreter salary estimates from across the web
Average interpreter salary by state
The highest-paying states for interpreters are Virginia, New York, and California. The lowest average interpreter salary states are Ohio, Missouri, and Arkansas.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for interpreters
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $56,837 | $27.33 |
| 2 | New York | $52,557 | $25.27 |
| 3 | Georgia | $46,413 | $22.31 |
| 4 | Texas | $43,899 | $21.11 |
| 5 | California | $47,899 | $23.03 |
| 6 | Maryland | $45,815 | $22.03 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $45,328 | $21.79 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $43,909 | $21.11 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $42,651 | $20.51 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $42,083 | $20.23 |
| 11 | Vermont | $43,059 | $20.70 |
| 12 | Washington | $43,068 | $20.71 |
| 13 | Arizona | $39,840 | $19.15 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $40,154 | $19.30 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $39,838 | $19.15 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $38,679 | $18.60 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $40,999 | $19.71 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $37,598 | $18.08 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $38,194 | $18.36 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $39,042 | $18.77 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $40,516 | $19.48 |
| 22 | Colorado | $40,245 | $19.35 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $38,100 | $18.32 |
| 24 | Alaska | $42,392 | $20.38 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $41,989 | $20.19 |
| 26 | Nevada | $39,469 | $18.98 |
| 27 | Maine | $39,099 | $18.80 |
| 28 | Utah | $37,803 | $18.17 |
| 29 | Oregon | $36,317 | $17.46 |
| 30 | Idaho | $36,143 | $17.38 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $37,743 | $18.15 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $36,300 | $17.45 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $33,556 | $16.13 |
| 34 | Florida | $37,095 | $17.83 |
| 35 | Montana | $33,329 | $16.02 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $36,923 | $17.75 |
| 37 | Indiana | $34,967 | $16.81 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $33,384 | $16.05 |
| 39 | Alabama | $32,370 | $15.56 |
| 40 | Iowa | $32,848 | $15.79 |
| 41 | Michigan | $32,334 | $15.55 |
| 42 | Delaware | $26,786 | $12.88 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $32,582 | $15.66 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $30,644 | $14.73 |
| 45 | Illinois | $32,916 | $15.82 |
| 46 | Kansas | $32,640 | $15.69 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $32,392 | $15.57 |
| 48 | Ohio | $31,366 | $15.08 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $30,976 | $14.89 |
| 50 | Missouri | $31,353 | $15.07 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $29,056 | $13.97 |
Highest paying cities for interpreters
The highest-paying cities for interpreters are Arlington, VA, New York, NY, and Santa Maria, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington, VA | $58,967 | $28.35 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $52,638 | $25.31 |
| 3 | Santa Maria, CA | $48,495 | $23.31 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $46,076 | $22.15 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $44,147 | $21.22 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $42,635 | $20.50 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $40,801 | $19.62 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $40,440 | $19.44 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $39,848 | $19.16 |
| 10 | Manchester, NH | $39,011 | $18.76 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $38,750 | $18.63 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $38,184 | $18.36 |
| 13 | Murray, UT | $37,638 | $18.10 |
| 14 | Delray Beach, FL | $37,579 | $18.07 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $36,409 | $17.50 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $35,715 | $17.17 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $34,745 | $16.70 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $33,109 | $15.92 |
| 19 | Des Moines, IA | $32,575 | $15.66 |
| 20 | Ann Arbor, MI | $32,175 | $15.47 |
Interpreter salary details
An interpreter's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $60,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an interpreter's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $42,008 | $3,501 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying interpreter jobs
The highest paying types of interpreters are technical translator, interpretive program coordinator, and language translator.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptologic Linguist | $43,225 | $3,602 | $20.78 | 696 |
| Arabic Linguist | $44,433 | $3,703 | $21.36 | 742 |
| Technical Translator | $55,019 | $4,585 | $26.45 | 68,352 |
| Language Translator | $45,490 | $3,791 | $21.87 | 21,450 |
| Freelance Translator | $44,736 | $3,728 | $21.51 | 1,162 |
| Translator | $44,278 | $3,690 | $21.29 | 1,206 |
Which companies pay interpreters the most?
Interpreter salaries at Cottage Health and St. Mary's Health Inc. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average interpreter salary at companies like Erlanger Health System and Appalachian Regional Healthcare are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cottage Health | $79,183 | $38.07 |
| 2 | St. Mary's Health Inc. | $73,400 | $35.29 |
| 3 | Erlanger Health System | $67,950 | $32.67 |
| 4 | Appalachian Regional Healthcare | $67,339 | $32.37 |
| 5 | Johnson County Community College | $65,370 | $31.43 |
| 6 | Rochester City School District | $63,135 | $30.35 |
| 7 | Visalia Unified School District | $62,899 | $30.24 |
| 8 | Amazon | $62,105 | $29.86 |
| 9 | Children's Minnesota | $61,889 | $29.75 |
| 10 | Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc. | $61,351 | $29.50 |
| 11 | El Paso County | $60,799 | $29.23 |
| 12 | Student Conservation Association | $60,640 | $29.15 |
| 13 | Cincinnati State | $60,541 | $29.11 |
| 14 | Yanfeng | $59,748 | $28.73 |
| 15 | Oxnard Union High School District | $59,598 | $28.65 |
| 16 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $58,797 | $28.27 |
| 17 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $58,739 | $28.24 |
| 18 | West Tennessee Healthcare | $58,477 | $28.11 |
| 19 | Froedtert Hospital | $58,469 | $28.11 |
| 20 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $58,243 | $28.00 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Interpreter salary by industry
The average interpreter salary varies across industries:
- The average interpreter salary in the government industry is $55,265, the highest of any industry.
- The average interpreter salary in the finance industry is $51,148.
- Interpreters in the finance industry earn an average salary of $46,804, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for interpreters
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $55,265 | $26.57 |
| 2 | Professional | $51,148 | $24.59 |
| 3 | Education | $48,372 | $23.26 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $48,087 | $23.12 |
| 5 | Finance | $46,804 | $22.50 |
High Paying Interpreter Jobs
Interpreter salary trends
The average interpreter salary has risen by $6,558 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average interpreter earned $35,450 annually, but today, they earn $42,008 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for interpreters over the last decade.
Compare interpreter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average interpreter salary over time
Compare interpreter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Interpreter salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,000 | $20.20 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $41,600 | $20.00 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $40,100 | $19.27 | +5.5% |
| 2022 | $37,900 | $18.21 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $37,000 | $17.80 | +4.2% |
Recently added interpreter salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cira | Bengali Interpreter | Omaha, NE | 12/16/2024 | $52,175 |
| Central Washington University | ASL Interpreter | Ellensburg, WA | 12/15/2024 | $49,116 |
| Austin Community College | Interpreter Senior Daytime (Hourly) | Austin, TX | 12/15/2024 | $74,715 |
| The Corps Network | NH Conservation Corps-Interpretive Ranger | New Hampshire | 12/15/2024 | $5,439 |
| Montana Office of Public Instruction | Interpreter | Belgrade, MT | 12/14/2024 | $83,480 |
| Amazon.com, Inc. | DLS Interpreter BP (Sls-Asl), Specialty Accommodation Services | Rochester, NY | 12/13/2024 | $56,700 |
| Baltimore County Public Schools | Contractual Interpreter-Burmese | Baltimore, MD | 12/13/2024 | $70,833 |
| Cedar Rapids Community School District | District Interpreter | Bode, IA | 12/13/2024 | $52,175 |
| Idaho School Boards Association | Interpreter for The Hearing Impaired TMS | Hope, ID | 12/13/2024 | $46,164 |
| Kern High School District | ASL Interpreter I-II | Ione, CA | 12/13/2024 | $49,360 |
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