How to Become an Interpreter / Translator
Carry meaning across languages in real time or in writing, from courtrooms and hospitals to publishing. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $60,170 per year and slower than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$60,170/yr
Middle half
$46,530 to $80,830
Job growth
Slower than average
Openings / yr
6,900
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Fluency in Two or More Languages
- Interpretation
- Translation
- Active Listening
- Cultural Competence
Helpful certifications
- ATA certification (translation)
- CoreCHI/CHI (healthcare interpreting)
- Court interpreter certification
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
13/100
Work-life balance
67/100
Stress level
62/100
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Frequently asked questions
How much does an Interpreter / Translator make?
The median pay for an Interpreter / Translator is $60,170 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $46,530 and $80,830 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Interpreter / Translator?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Linguistics, World Languages, Communications, English, International Relations, Ethnic and Gender Studies, and Spanish.
Is Interpreter / Translator a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is slower than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 6,900 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Interpreter / Translator use most?
Common skills for this role are Fluency in Two or More Languages, Interpretation, Translation, Active Listening, and Cultural Competence.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).