Interpreters and Translators

What Interpreters and Translators Do

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

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

27%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• English Languageimportance 4.7/5
• Foreign Languageimportance 4.1/5
• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.9/5
• Education and Trainingimportance 3.4/5
• Administrativeimportance 3.2/5
• Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.1/5
• Law and Governmentimportance 3.0/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.9/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.9/5
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.7/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
• Contact With Others4.6/5
• E-Mail4.5/5
• Frequency of Decision Making4.5/5

Related Careers

• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
• Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
• Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
• English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
• Tutors
• Proofreaders and Copy Markers
• Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education98% skill match
• Substitute Teachers, Short-Term98% skill match
• Musicians and Singers97% skill match
• Manicurists and Pedicurists97% skill match
• Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants97% skill match
• Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education97% skill match
• Self-Enrichment Teachers97% skill match
• Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials97% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.1/5
• Service Orientationimportance 3.1/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
• Instructingimportance 3.0/5
• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
• Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
• Persuasionimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Integrity
• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Cautiousness
• Self-Control
• Sincerity

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• ConventionalMedium
• ArtisticMedium
• SocialMedium
• InvestigativeMedium
• EnterprisingLow
• RealisticLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where interpreters and translators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Salinas, CA8.97× national avg
2. 2El Paso, TX4.71× national avg
3. 3Fayetteville, NC3.75× national avg
4. 4Sioux City, IA-NE-SD3.28× national avg
5. 5Rochester, MN2.74× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationCareer Change
• Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationCareer Change
• Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolCareer Change
• Nurse MidwivesCareer Change

See the full career path from Interpreters and Translators →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.