Facts About Interpreting

An interpreter is anyone who interprets for someone who speaks or understands little or no English. Interpreters must accurately interpret for individuals who possess an advanced level of education and an expansive vocabulary, as well as interpret for individuals with very limited language skills, without changing the level of the language spoken (“register”) by the speaker. Interpreters are also responsible for orally translating written documents from English into the foreign language and from the foreign language into English. It is also necessary to have excellent memory skills and an extensive vocabulary in both languages to be a successful interpreter.

An interpreter verbally renders a message from one language into the other while the translator works in writing.

The most important skill is to be fully bilingual and fluent in English and one more language.
To learn more about what it means to become an interpreter, please visit the occupational outlook for becoming an interpreter at: Department of Labor Statistics for Interpreters

In order to become an interpreter, most states may require that you be certified in your field. In order to be certified, the process may require that you take a written examination as well as an oral examination. Certification for medical interpreters may also be required by some organizations, however, a national requirement differs from court interpreters. Even though certification may not be required by some organizations in the private sector, obtaining certification can increase the likelihood of obtaining more job assignments with higher wages paid towards those with certification.

A college degree is not required to become a certified interpreter. Professional interpreters who are certified may or may not possess a degree in their field of study or in another unrelated field, but generally speaking, it is not a requirement to participate in most certification exams.

A Court Interpreter is one who specializes in legal terminology and expressions, court proceedings, and colloquialisms. Court interpreters play a key role in the state court system by interpreting for defendants, litigants and witnesses, thereby helping to ensure access to justice for thousands of individuals with limited English proficiency.

Similar to a Court Interpreter, a Federal Interpreter also plays a vital role in the Federal court system by interpreting for defendants, litigants and witnesses with limited English proficiency.

A Medical interpreter is one who specializes in medical terminology, colloquialisms and slang. Medical interpreters work in doctors’ offices and hospitals, interpreting for non-English speaking patients.

A certified interpreter has passed a state and/or federal certification exam. A non-certified interpreter has not received a state or federal certification.

On an average basis, certified Court Interpreters earn between $270 and $315 per day. Federal Certified Court Interpreters earn up to $388 per day. Medical Interpreters earn between $130 and $170 per day.

Yes, in the private sector. However, non-certified court interpreters earn between $180 and $210 per day.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the job market growth rate for all types of interpreters to be around 42% from 2010 to 2020, which is much higher than the growth rate for the average career. Each state experiences different needs for interpreters. Typically states with higher immigration rates have a greater need for interpreters. Most states, however, are unable to cover their need for interpreters, particularly the need for certified interpreters.