Interpreters and Translators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for interpreters and translators is $60,170, or $28.93 per hour. About 52,060 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $109,970 in District of Columbia to $42,270 in Hawaii.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 47 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $109,970 | $52.87 | 280 | 1.19 |
| 2 | Maryland | $88,550 | $42.57 | 1,150 | 1.24 |
| 3 | New York | $84,090 | $40.43 | 3,240 | 1.00 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $82,320 | $39.58 | 200 | 1.22 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $72,750 | $34.98 | 2,280 | 1.87 |
| 6 | Colorado | $71,790 | $34.51 | 800 | 0.83 |
| 7 | California | $70,770 | $34.02 | 5,560 | 0.91 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $68,340 | $32.85 | 280 | 0.49 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $66,410 | $31.93 | 1,030 | 1.04 |
| 10 | Oregon | $66,300 | $31.88 | 660 | 1.00 |
| 11 | Idaho | $66,130 | $31.80 | 300 | 1.05 |
| 12 | Utah | $65,770 | $31.62 | 850 | 1.47 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $63,550 | $30.55 | 360 | 1.22 |
| 14 | Maine | $63,470 | $30.51 | 90 | 0.42 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $63,390 | $30.48 | 1,410 | 1.43 |
| 16 | Virginia | $63,030 | $30.30 | 1,630 | 1.19 |
| 17 | Vermont | $62,450 | $30.02 | 80 | 0.78 |
| 18 | Washington | $61,750 | $29.69 | 1,250 | 1.05 |
| 19 | Ohio | $61,230 | $29.44 | 2,030 | 1.09 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $58,970 | $28.35 | 870 | 0.61 |
| 21 | Georgia | $57,880 | $27.83 | 1,600 | 0.98 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $57,130 | $27.47 | 80 | 0.20 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $57,040 | $27.42 | 1,420 | 0.70 |
| 24 | Missouri | $57,010 | $27.41 | 440 | 0.45 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $56,370 | $27.10 | 240 | 1.03 |
| 26 | Illinois | $55,290 | $26.58 | 1,510 | 0.74 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $53,590 | $25.77 | 480 | 0.71 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $53,140 | $25.55 | 230 | 1.50 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $53,050 | $25.51 | 570 | 1.66 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $52,490 | $25.24 | 220 | 0.50 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $51,080 | $24.56 | 710 | 0.65 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $50,860 | $24.45 | 520 | 0.68 |
| 33 | Nevada | $50,370 | $24.21 | 320 | 0.62 |
| 34 | Arizona | $50,150 | $24.11 | 2,070 | 1.91 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $50,030 | $24.05 | 1,780 | 1.07 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $48,980 | $23.55 | 320 | 0.57 |
| 37 | Florida | $48,930 | $23.53 | 4,200 | 1.26 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $48,420 | $23.28 | 120 | 0.19 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $48,190 | $23.17 | 130 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Iowa | $48,150 | $23.15 | 560 | 1.08 |
| 41 | Indiana | $48,140 | $23.14 | 1,170 | 1.10 |
| 42 | Kansas | $47,950 | $23.05 | 470 | 0.98 |
| 43 | Montana | $47,850 | $23.01 | 60 | 0.34 |
| 44 | Texas | $47,510 | $22.84 | 6,780 | 1.44 |
| 45 | Alabama | $46,130 | $22.18 | 310 | 0.43 |
| 46 | Michigan | $45,310 | $21.78 | 940 | 0.64 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $42,270 | $20.32 | 60 | 0.30 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do interpreters and translators make?
The median annual wage for interpreters and translators in the United States is $60,170, or $28.93 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $37,070, and the top 10% earn $103,660.
How many interpreters and translators are employed in the U.S.?
About 52,060 people work as interpreters and translators nationwide.
Which state pays interpreters and translators the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $109,970, followed by Maryland ($88,550) and New York ($84,090).
Which state pays interpreters and translators the least?
Hawaii has the lowest median at $42,270.
Where are interpreters and translators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Arizona at 1.91×.