What is the Average Salary of a Sign Language Interpreter?

<h3 id="section---JobDescription">Job Description</h3> <p>If you have strong English skills, the commitment to learn a new language and a desire to assist others, then you might enjoy a career as a sign language interpreter. As a sign language interpreter, you translate spoken English into American Sign Language (ASL) for the benefit of deaf or hearing-impaired individuals. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>On-the-Job Training</td><td> Short-term training is typical for interpreters</td></tr> <tr><td>Key Skills</td><td> Ability to listen, speak, and write well; knowledge of business and cultural differences; manual dexterity and ability to interact well with others</td></tr> <tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> Schools, meeting and conference facilities, hospitals, and in court settings</td></tr> <tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Court reporter, medical transcriptionist, technical writer</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---CareerProspects">Career Prospects</h3> <p>The job prospects for sign language interpreters are favorable. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that positions in interpreting and translating would grow much faster than average at a rate of 20% between 2021 and 2031 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). This growth is due to an increase in Internet video communication. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryOverview">Salary Overview</h3> <p>According to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), salary statistics for this field are hard to come by, mostly because sign language interpreter jobs and their pay vary widely (<i>www.rid.org</i>). In January 2023, <i>PayScale.com</i> reported that most sign language interpreters reporting made between $19.91-$51.68 hourly; however, many interpreters work as freelancers and are sometimes unable to find 40 hours of work in a week. Your particular salary may depend on your geographic location, training, credentials and experience. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry">Salary by Industry</h3> <p>Jobs are available in several sectors. The BLS reported that most interpreters and translators in May 2021 worked for other professional, scientific and technical services, with an hourly mean wage of $29.31. Many also worked in elementary and secondary schools and earned an hourly mean wage of $25.13. </p> <p>The highest mean pay was found in federal executive branch and related services, as well as colleges and universities. These two industries paid hourly mean wages $43.53 and $37.09, respectively. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation">Salary by Location</h3> <p>Mean hourly wages in the states with the highest employment levels of interpreters and translators were $35.33 for California, $25.43 for Texas, $38.77 for New York, $24.63 for Florida and $28.87 for North Carolina. Mean hourly wages in the states with the highest pay included $46.88 for the District of Columbia, $38.77 for New York, $36.86 for Virginia, $35.33 for California and $35.06 for 72,920. Mean wages were much lower in states that included Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Arizona. </p> <h3 id="section---EducationRequirements">Education Requirements</h3> <p>While it's possible to learn ASL without formal education, attending a sign language interpretation program can be very helpful because of the interactive nature of this type of interpretation. You could choose to pursue either an associate or bachelor's degree in this field, with programs including courses in interpretation analysis, deaf culture, ASL, transliterating and more. These programs are designed to be interactive and provide practical interpreting opportunities to students. </p> <h3 id="section---CertificationOptions">Certification Options</h3> <p>To advance your earning potential, you might consider pursuing certification, such as the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) offered by RID in association with the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). Earning this certification requires passing a written exam, oral interview and performance test. You can earn certification at a generalist, advanced or master level. Each certification requires a higher-level exam and interview. A bachelor's degree is required for certification.</p>