# Interpreters and Translators

> Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/interpreters-and-translators
- SOC code: 27-3091.00
- Career family: Arts, design and media
- Median annual pay: $60,170 (10th percentile $37,070, 90th percentile $103,660)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.0%
- Openings a year: 6,000
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CAS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 15 |
| Investigative (I) | 37 |
| Artistic (A) | 55 |
| Social (S) | 41 |
| Enterprising (E) | 15 |
| Conventional (C) | 63 |

## What you'd do

- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 93/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 81/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 79/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 78/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 77/100)
- Getting Information (importance 76/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 74/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 70/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 69/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 68/100)

## Skills

Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness

## Knowledge

English Language, Foreign Language, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Administrative, Public Safety and Security, Law and Government, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Psychology

## Also called

American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter), Arabic Translator, Bilingual Interpreter, Bilingual Secretary, Braille Transcriber, Braille Translator, Community Interpreter, Contract Translator, Court Interpreter, Cryptologic Linguist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1609) (CIP 1609, 1,019 colleges)
- [Special Education and Teaching](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1310) (CIP 1310, 1,003 colleges)
- [Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0502) (CIP 0502, 700 colleges)
- [Legal Support Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2203) (CIP 2203, 591 colleges)
- [Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1601) (CIP 1601, 538 colleges)
- [Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1605) (CIP 1605, 354 colleges)
- [Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1612) (CIP 1612, 282 colleges)
- [American Sign Language](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1616) (CIP 1616, 221 colleges)
- [East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1603) (CIP 1603, 216 colleges)
- [Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1604) (CIP 1604, 149 colleges)
- [Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1611) (CIP 1611, 113 colleges)
- [Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1699) (CIP 1699, 74 colleges)
- American Indian/Native American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1610, 27 colleges)
- Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1614, 6 colleges)
- History and Language/Literature (CIP 3045, 5 colleges)
- Iranian/Persian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1608, 5 colleges)
- Modern Greek Language and Literature (CIP 1606, 5 colleges)
- African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1602, 4 colleges)
- South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1607, 4 colleges)
- Turkic, Uralic-Altaic, Caucasian, and Central Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1615, 4 colleges)
- Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (CIP 1613, 3 colleges)
- Economics and Foreign Language/Literature (CIP 3040, 1 college)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Vanderbilt University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/vanderbilt-university-3113) | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $52,522 | $114,368 | not reported |
| [Villanova University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/villanova-university-3127) | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $47,689 | $94,964 | not reported |
| [Southern Methodist University SMU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-methodist-university-smu-2498) | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $59,270 | $93,769 | $20,500 |
| [University of Rhode Island URI](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-rhode-island-uri-3025) | Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $75,773 | $90,953 | $19,500 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $53,990 | $89,275 | not reported |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | $88,114 | not reported |
| [Duke University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duke-university-837) | Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $44,371 | $88,098 | not reported |
| [University of Notre Dame-South Bend IN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-notre-dame-south-bend-in-3005) | Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $68,020 | $85,619 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Speech-Language Pathologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/speech-language-pathologists): $97,870 median pay
- [Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/foreign-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $79,350 median pay
- [Speech-Language Pathology Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/speech-language-pathology-assistants): $48,430 median pay
- [Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/adult-basic-education-adult-secondary-education-and-english-as-a-second-language): $61,540 median pay
- [English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/english-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $78,760 median pay
- [Tutors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/tutors): $43,350 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.