Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

27-3091 Interpreters and Translators

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


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
57,140 3.9 % $26.55 $55,230 1.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $13.09 $17.53 $24.00 $32.53 $43.56
Annual Wage (2) $27,230 $36,470 $49,930 $67,660 $90,610


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 23,120 3.18 $29.00 $60,330
Elementary and Secondary Schools 9,210 0.11 $21.69 $45,100
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 5,560 0.10 $24.85 $51,680
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 2,400 0.04 $25.28 $52,590
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,070 0.07 $34.52 $71,800

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 23,120 3.18 $29.00 $60,330
Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services 740 0.43 $19.80 $41,180
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 540 0.33 $13.60 $28,280
Junior Colleges 1,880 0.26 $32.78 $68,190
Educational Support Services 240 0.13 $22.63 $47,070

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 400 0.02 $39.88 $82,950
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers (8) (8) $38.12 $79,300
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 410 0.02 $35.74 $74,340
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 30 0.01 $35.53 $73,910
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,070 0.07 $34.52 $71,800


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 9,310 0.55 1.39 $27.97 $58,180
Texas 5,460 0.45 1.14 $28.20 $58,650
Florida 3,720 0.43 1.09 $23.70 $49,300
New York 3,300 0.35 0.89 $33.14 $68,940
Arizona 2,940 1.05 2.67 $22.16 $46,100




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utah 1,560 1.07 2.72 $21.07 $43,830
Arizona 2,940 1.05 2.67 $22.16 $46,100
Nebraska 790 0.81 2.04 $21.04 $43,760
District of Columbia 490 0.69 1.74 $45.06 $93,730
Oregon 1,210 0.64 1.62 $24.08 $50,090




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 490 0.69 1.74 $45.06 $93,730
New Jersey 540 0.13 0.34 $35.94 $74,750
Virginia 2,000 0.52 1.32 $34.02 $70,770
Maryland 1,120 0.42 1.06 $33.91 $70,530
Colorado 1,440 0.55 1.39 $33.68 $70,050





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,980 0.49 1.23 $26.37 $54,850
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,870 0.30 0.76 $36.79 $76,530
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,200 0.70 1.78 $38.10 $79,240
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,050 1.00 2.53 $22.30 $46,380
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,690 0.36 0.92 $22.51 $46,830
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,350 0.49 1.24 $28.03 $58,310
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,110 0.31 0.79 $24.23 $50,400
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,020 0.39 0.99 $20.69 $43,040
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 960 0.80 2.04 $23.32 $48,500
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 950 0.49 1.24 $25.34 $52,720




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Harrisonburg, VA 180 2.78 7.03 $23.04 $47,920
Grand Island, NE 50 1.27 3.20 $11.86 $24,670
Utica-Rome, NY 140 1.15 2.90 $17.47 $36,350
Sioux Falls, SD 170 1.10 2.80 $17.27 $35,930
Worcester, MA-CT 310 1.08 2.73 $25.31 $52,650
Colorado Springs, CO 300 1.07 2.71 $27.72 $57,650
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,050 1.00 2.53 $22.30 $46,380
Fresno, CA 380 1.00 2.54 $28.77 $59,840
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 490 0.99 2.51 $22.97 $47,770
Burlington, NC 60 0.99 2.52 $16.30 $33,910




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,200 0.70 1.78 $38.10 $79,240
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,870 0.30 0.76 $36.79 $76,530
Austin-Round Rock, TX 650 0.64 1.61 $34.60 $71,960
St. Louis, MO-IL 490 0.36 0.91 $33.85 $70,410
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 310 0.42 1.06 $33.13 $68,900
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (8) (8) (8) $32.92 $68,480
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 790 0.54 1.36 $32.52 $67,640
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 460 0.35 0.88 $32.17 $66,920
Springfield, MO 120 0.59 1.49 $30.67 $63,790
Albuquerque, NM 210 0.55 1.40 $30.10 $62,620

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 150 0.37 0.95 $14.17 $29,470
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 120 0.60 1.51 $24.14 $50,210
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 90 0.33 0.83 $16.25 $33,800
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 80 0.34 0.86 $16.46 $34,240
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 80 0.37 0.93 $16.80 $34,950

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.63 1.60 $17.04 $35,450
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 120 0.60 1.51 $24.14 $50,210
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area 40 0.56 1.43 $18.67 $38,820
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.55 1.40 $26.36 $54,840
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 80 0.42 1.07 $35.48 $73,800

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 80 0.42 1.07 $35.48 $73,800
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.55 1.40 $26.36 $54,840
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 120 0.60 1.51 $24.14 $50,210
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 30 0.26 0.66 $24.12 $50,170
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area 30 0.23 0.59 $23.50 $48,870


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019