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Sign language interpreter: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$60,170median pay per year, or $28.93 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $37,070lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,53025th percentile
  3. $60,170median
  4. $80,83075th percentile
  5. $103,660top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

BLS groups sign language interpreters with other interpreters and translators[1]. This group had a median pay of $60,170 a year in May 2025[2], and jobs are projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2%[3]
Openings per year
6,000[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do sign language interpreters make?

BLS does not publish a separate figure for sign language interpreters. The numbers below cover the whole Interpreters and Translators category.

The median pay was $60,170 a year, or $28.93 an hour[2]. Half of the workers earned more and half earned less[2]. The average was $66,360 a year, or $31.90 an hour[8]. For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[5].

Pay varies a lot in this group. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,070 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $103,660[4]. In hourly terms, those two lines were $17.82 and $49.84[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][9] $37,070 $17.82
25th[4][9] $46,530 $22.37
Median[2] $60,170 $28.93
75th[4][9] $80,830 $38.86
90th[4][9] $103,660 $49.84

These wages cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

The District of Columbia had the highest median wage at $109,970, followed by Maryland at $88,550 and New York at $84,090[12]. Hawaii had the lowest listed median at $42,270[12].

Texas had the most jobs at 6,780, then California at 5,560 and Florida at 4,200[13]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $101,530, followed by the Washington, DC area at $94,510[14]. The Houston area had the most jobs at 2,530, with a median of $44,490[15].

Show median pay in 46 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[12]$109,970280
Maryland$88,5501,150
New York$84,0903,240
Rhode Island$82,320200
Massachusetts$72,7502,280
Colorado$71,790800
California$70,7705,560
Connecticut$68,340280
Minnesota$66,4101,030
Oregon$66,300660
Idaho$66,130300
Utah$65,770850
New Mexico$63,550360
Maine$63,47090
Wisconsin$63,3901,410
Virginia$63,0301,630
Vermont$62,45080
Washington$61,7501,250
Ohio$61,2302,030
New Jersey$58,970870
Georgia$57,8801,600
Mississippi$57,13080
Pennsylvania$57,0401,420
Missouri$57,010440
New Hampshire$56,370240
Illinois$55,2901,510
Kentucky$53,590480
South Dakota$53,140230
Nebraska$53,050570
Arkansas$52,490220
Tennessee$51,080710
South Carolina$50,860520
Nevada$50,370320
Arizona$50,1502,070
North Carolina$50,0301,780
Oklahoma$48,980320
Florida$48,9304,200
Louisiana$48,420120
North Dakota$48,190130
Iowa$48,150560
Indiana$48,1401,170
Kansas$47,950470
Montana$47,85060
Texas$47,5106,780
Alabama$46,130310
Michigan$45,310940
Hawaii$42,27060

How to become a sign language interpreter

The facts below describe interpreters and translators as a whole.

In an O*NET survey of 22 workers, 55% said a bachelor's degree is required and 28% said a master's degree[20].

General certification is typically not required, though optional tests exist[21]. Employers may require or prefer it for some types of work, and most states require certification for court interpreters[22]. A State Department aptitude test is a required step to join a roster for freelance assignments. It is not counted as a credential[23].

What interpreters and translators do

O*NET describes the work as interpreting spoken or sign language, or translating written text between languages[24]. Common tasks include:

Where they work

Interpreters work in schools, hospitals, courtrooms, detention facilities and conference centers, and some work remotely[26]. Some travel often, and the work may be stressful depending on the setting[26]. Translators usually work in offices, including remote ones, and send work in electronically[27]. Deadlines can bring pressure[27].

Part-time work is common, and schedules may vary, with slow periods and periods of long, irregular hours[28]. Self-employed workers can set their own schedules[29]. In 2025, 27.6% were self-employed[30]. The largest employer group was professional, scientific and technical services, at 30%[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of interpreters and translators to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 73,900 to 75,400 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[32]. These job counts include the self-employed[3].

About 6,000 openings are projected each year[6]. Openings come from retirements and job changes as well as new jobs[6]. Each year, 4.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.6% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a field that usually asks for a bachelor's degree[7] and fluency in two languages[17]. Pay at the middle is above the all-occupations median[2][5], but the range is wide[4]. Growth is slower than the average for all jobs[3][32]. Part-time work is common and self-employment is a real option[28][30]. Anyone planning court work should check certification rules, since most states require it[22].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a sign language interpreter make?
BLS reports only the wider Interpreters and Translators group. Its median was $60,170 a year, or $28.93 an hour, in May 2025[2].
What degree do you need to be an interpreter or translator?
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry education[7][17].
Do interpreters need certification?
General certification is typically not required[21]. Most states require it for court interpreters[22].
Is interpreting in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[3][32]. About 6,000 openings are projected each year[6].
Which state pays interpreters and translators the most?
The District of Columbia had the highest median at $109,970[12]. Maryland was next at $88,550[12].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 27-3091.00 sample job titles reported by workers: American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter), Court Interpreter, Educational Interpreter, Interpreter, Linguist, Medical Interpreter, Sign Language Interpreter, Spanish Interpreter. O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Interpreters and Translators in the US was $60,170 per year and $28.93 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Interpreters and Translators is projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 73,900 to 75,400 jobs (a change of +1,500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Interpreters and Translators: 10th percentile $37,070, 25th percentile $46,530, 75th percentile $80,830, 90th percentile $103,660. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 6,000 openings for Interpreters and Translators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Interpreters and Translators: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Interpreters and Translators was $66,360 per year and $31.90 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Interpreters and Translators: 10th percentile $17.82, 25th percentile $22.37, 75th percentile $38.86, 90th percentile $49.84. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Interpreters and Translators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Interpreters and Translators jobs: Texas 6,780; California 5,560; Florida 4,200; New York 3,240; Massachusetts 2,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Interpreters and Translators (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $101,530; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $94,510; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $87,590; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $83,680; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $83,200; Salem, OR $80,960; Akron, OH $80,640; Boise City, ID $80,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Interpreters and Translators jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 2,530 (median $44,490); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,520 (median $87,590); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 1,720 (median $50,070); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,660 (median $75,120); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,630 (median $94,510); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,480 (median $69,460). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. O*NET 27-3091.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 55%, Master's Degree 28%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET description of Interpreters and Translators. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Interpreters and Translators. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: 27.6% of Interpreters and Translators were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of interpreters and translators in 2025: Professional, scientific, and technical services 30%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Interpreters and Translators: 4.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.