Arts, design, media and sports
Interpreters and translators
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Median pay
$60,170
Growth to 2035
+2%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
6,000
Time to qualify*
Minimal
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Interpreters and translators
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Interpreters and translators: 26% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter) · Court Interpreter · Educational Interpreter · Interpreter · Linguist · Medical Interpreter · Sign Language Interpreter · Spanish Interpreter
Outlook and AI
Interpreters and translators held 73,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 75,400 by 2035 (+2%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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