Interpreters and Translators
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
- O*NET-SOC code
27-3091.00 - Preparation Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$60,170
Employment, U.S.52,060
Median hourly wage$28.93
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $37,070 | $46,530 | $60,170 | $80,830 | $103,660 |
By state (50)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 310 | $46,130 | 0.43 |
| Alaska | 150 | Not available | 1.34 |
| Arizona | 2,070 | $50,150 | 1.91 |
| Arkansas | 220 | $52,490 | 0.50 |
| California | 5,560 | $70,770 | 0.91 |
| Colorado | 800 | $71,790 | 0.83 |
| Connecticut | 280 | $68,340 | 0.49 |
| Delaware | 110 | Not available | 0.69 |
| District of Columbia | 280 | $109,970 | 1.19 |
| Florida | 4,200 | $48,930 | 1.26 |
| Georgia | 1,600 | $57,880 | 0.98 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $42,270 | 0.30 |
| Idaho | 300 | $66,130 | 1.05 |
| Illinois | 1,510 | $55,290 | 0.74 |
| Indiana | 1,170 | $48,140 | 1.10 |
| Iowa | 560 | $48,150 | 1.08 |
| Kansas | 470 | $47,950 | 0.98 |
| Kentucky | 480 | $53,590 | 0.71 |
| Louisiana | 120 | $48,420 | 0.19 |
| Maine | 90 | $63,470 | 0.42 |
| Maryland | 1,150 | $88,550 | 1.24 |
| Massachusetts | 2,280 | $72,750 | 1.87 |
| Michigan | 940 | $45,310 | 0.64 |
| Minnesota | 1,030 | $66,410 | 1.04 |
| Mississippi | 80 | $57,130 | 0.20 |
| Missouri | 440 | $57,010 | 0.45 |
| Montana | 60 | $47,850 | 0.34 |
| Nebraska | 570 | $53,050 | 1.66 |
| Nevada | 320 | $50,370 | 0.62 |
| New Hampshire | 240 | $56,370 | 1.03 |
| New Jersey | 870 | $58,970 | 0.61 |
| New Mexico | 360 | $63,550 | 1.22 |
| New York | 3,240 | $84,090 | 1.00 |
| North Carolina | 1,780 | $50,030 | 1.07 |
| North Dakota | 130 | $48,190 | 0.93 |
| Ohio | 2,030 | $61,230 | 1.09 |
| Oklahoma | 320 | $48,980 | 0.57 |
| Oregon | 660 | $66,300 | 1.00 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,420 | $57,040 | 0.70 |
| Rhode Island | 200 | $82,320 | 1.22 |
| South Carolina | 520 | $50,860 | 0.68 |
| South Dakota | 230 | $53,140 | 1.50 |
| Tennessee | 710 | $51,080 | 0.65 |
| Texas | 6,780 | $47,510 | 1.44 |
| Utah | 850 | $65,770 | 1.47 |
| Vermont | 80 | $62,450 | 0.78 |
| Virginia | 1,630 | $63,030 | 1.19 |
| Washington | 1,250 | $61,750 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | 120 | Not available | 0.50 |
| Wisconsin | 1,410 | $63,390 | 1.43 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Interpreters and Translators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance Officers | Negotiation | 0.87 | 0.940 |
| Special Education Teachers, Elementary School | Learning Strategies | 1.50 | 0.935 |
| Concierges | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.930 |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | Learning Strategies | 0.88 | 0.929 |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | Negotiation | 0.87 | 0.921 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten | Systems Analysis | 0.88 | 0.917 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | Negotiation | 1.00 | 0.916 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Interpreters and Translators, excluding software Interpreters and Translators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Google Classroom | 9 of 20 | 18.9x |
| Schoology | 8 of 20 | 19.4x |
| Flipgrid | 7 of 20 | 14.0x |
| Seesaw | 6 of 20 | 19.8x |
| Screen magnification software | 5 of 20 | 28.8x |
| Text to speech software | 5 of 20 | 28.8x |
| Children's educational software | 5 of 20 | 25.6x |
| Screen reader software | 5 of 20 | 25.6x |
| Blackboard software | 8 of 20 | 6.5x |
| Email software | 15 of 20 | 2.5x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Essential skill | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 4.66 | 5.08 |
| Foreign Language | 4.13 | 4.86 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.88 | 4.67 |
| Education and Training | 3.39 | 3.90 |
| Administrative | 3.22 | 4.16 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.07 | 2.68 |
| Law and Government | 3.03 | 2.84 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.91 | 3.33 |
| Communications and Media | 2.55 | 2.44 |
| Psychology | 2.53 | 2.97 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 2.48 | 2.41 |
| Administration and Management | 2.40 | 1.85 |
| Mathematics | 2.37 | 2.53 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2.24 | 1.53 |
| Geography | 2.18 | 2.79 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.12 | 1.83 |
| Telecommunications | 2.07 | 1.39 |
| Biology | 2.03 | 1.43 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.88 | 1.42 |
| Transportation | 1.78 | 1.53 |
| Production and Processing | 1.77 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.77 | 1.52 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.67 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.67 | 1.32 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.50 | not rated |
| Chemistry | 1.42 | 0.72 |
| Design | 1.39 | 0.79 |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.36 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.32 | not rated |
| Mechanical | 1.24 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.23 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.18 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.10 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Expression | 4.25 | 4.75 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.12 | 4.50 |
| Written Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Written Expression | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.88 | 4.75 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.88 | 4.62 |
| Information Ordering | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Near Vision | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Selective Attention | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Auditory Attention | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Originality | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Sharing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Memorization | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Visualization | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.25 | 1.50 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Stamina | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Depth Perception | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Manual Dexterity | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Extent Flexibility | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Static Strength | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 1.25 | not rated |
| Response Orientation | 1.12 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.12 | not rated |
| Control Precision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Rate Control | 1.00 | not rated |
| Reaction Time | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Microsoft PowerPoint in demand
- Productivity software in demand
- Hypertext markup language HTML hot
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- AceTools.biz Ace Translator
- Adapt It
- AmoK Translator
- Ashkon Translation Pad
- Babylon Online Translator
- DocTranslate
- Electronic dictionaries
- ExcelTrans Translator
- Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML
- Google Translate Client
- HunterSoft Business Translator
- Intrado SchoolMessenger
- Language Engineering Corporation Translate Pro
- Lingoes
- OmegaT
- Smart Link Corporation ImTranslator
- Stormdance CatsCradle
- Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software
- Web browser software
- jalada GmbH Just Translate
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | 560 | 8.97 | $62,720 |
| El Paso, TX | 530 | 4.71 | $43,870 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 160 | 3.75 | Not available |
| Rochester, MN | 110 | 2.74 | $64,820 |
| Rochester, NY | 450 | 2.72 | $77,770 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 120 | 2.67 | Not available |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 160 | 2.44 | $56,370 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,170 | 2.42 | $49,470 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,530 | 2.29 | $44,490 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 130 | 2.19 | $53,140 |