# Interpreters and Translators

US SOC code 27-3091. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/27-3091

Also called: Interpreter, Translator, Language interpreter, Court interpreter, Medical interpreter.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **52,060** US interpreters and translators, with median pay of **$60,170** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **58,870**, in May 2019. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm) of **15,000** from 1960, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for interpreters and translators: Remote simultaneous interpretation platforms, 2019 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=27-3091&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **84%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Interpreters and Translators employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1815
- Latest US employment: 52,060 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $60,170 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [9]
- Outlook: +2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [29]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 51114)
  - Employment, 2020: 16,890. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [7]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 51114 Translators, terminologists and interpreters, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$62,800. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [13]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 51114 Translators, terminologists and interpreters, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1960 | 15,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Bureau of Labor Statistics [1] |
| 1980 | 35,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., AIIC [2] |
| 2000 | 16,780 | $31,110 | BLS OEWS 2000 [3] |
| 2003 | 21,910 | $33,490 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 25,410 | $33,860 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 29,240 | $34,800 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 30,910 | $35,560 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 33,680 | $37,490 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 36,610 | $38,850 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 40,000 | $40,860 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 44,200 | $43,300 | BLS OEWS May 2010 (employment) [4]; BLS OEWS May 2010 (pay) [10] |
| 2011 | 47,950 | $44,160 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 50,320 | $45,430 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 49,060 | $42,420 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 49,460 | $43,590 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 49,650 | $44,190 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 51,350 | $46,120 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 53,150 | $47,190 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 57,140 | $49,930 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 58,870 | $51,830 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 56,920 | $52,330 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 52,170 | $49,110 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 52,160 | $53,640 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 51,560 | $57,090 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 53,360 | $59,440 | BLS OEWS May 2024 (employment) [4]; BLS OEWS (pay) [10] |
| 2025 | 52,060 | $60,170 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (96)

### Employment series

1. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 1963 edition -- Media and Communication occupations (interpreters not separately listed, corroborating small pre-SOC workforce estimate)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
2. [AIIC -- History of AIIC and the conference interpreting profession (post-Nuremberg growth narrative)](https://aiic.org/site/world/about/history), International Association of Conference Interpreters
3. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
5. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

8. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
9. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
10. [BLS OOH -- Interpreters and Translators (May 2010 median annual wage $43,300)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

14. [AIIC -- History of AIIC and the conference interpreting profession](https://aiic.org/site/world/about/history), International Association of Conference Interpreters
15. [Lion People Global -- History of Translation and Interpretation](https://lionpeopleglobal.com/history-of-translation-and-interpretation/), Lion People Global
16. [PBS American Experience -- Simultaneous Interpretation at Nuremberg](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/nuremberg-interpretation/), PBS / American Experience
17. [National WWII Museum -- Translating and Interpreting the Nuremberg Trials](https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/translating-and-interpreting-nuremberg-trials), National World War II Museum
18. [Wikipedia -- History of machine translation (Georgetown-IBM 1954, ALPAC 1966)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_machine_translation), Wikipedia
19. [ResearchGate -- The first public demonstration of machine translation: the Georgetown-IBM system, 7th January 1954](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253470063_The_first_public_demonstration_of_machine_translation_the_Georgetown-IBM_system_7th_January_1954), ResearchGate / academic
20. [Congress.gov -- S.1315, Court Interpreters Act (95th Congress, 1978)](https://www.congress.gov/bill/95th-congress/senate-bill/1315), US Congress / Library of Congress
21. [AIIC -- Court interpreting in the United States revisited (certification history)](https://aiic.net/page/6595/court-interpreting-in-the-united-states-revisited/lang/1), AIIC
22. [BLS OOH -- Interpreters and Translators 2024-25 (profession growth context)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
23. [Wikipedia -- DeepL Translator (history: developed 2016, launched August 28, 2017)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepL_Translator), Wikipedia
24. [Understanding AI -- How human translators are coping with competition from powerful AI](https://www.understandingai.org/p/how-human-translators-are-coping), Understanding AI
25. [KUDO -- Remote Simultaneous Interpretation Platform (founding 2019)](https://kudo.ai/), KUDO
26. [Interprefy -- RSI and AI Interpretation Platform](https://www.interprefy.com/), Interprefy
27. [Blood in the Machine -- AI Killed My Job: Translators (freelance market collapse 2022-2024)](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/ai-killed-my-job-translators), Blood in the Machine / Brian Merchant
28. [ElevenLabs -- Multilingual v2 Dubbing and Voice Cloning](https://elevenlabs.io/dubbing-studio), ElevenLabs

### Forecasts and exposure studies

29. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 27-3091 Interpreters and translators (2025: 73.9 thousand; 2035: 75.4 thousand; +2.0%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=27-3091&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
30. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 27-3091.00, human-rated β 0.84)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

31. [PBS American Experience -- Simultaneous Interpretation at Nuremberg](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/nuremberg-interpretation/), PBS / American Experience
32. [AIIC -- History of AIIC](https://aiic.org/site/world/about/history), International Association of Conference Interpreters
33. [American Translators Association -- Who We Are: History of ATA](https://www.atanet.org/aboutus/history.php), American Translators Association
34. [Supreme Court of the United States -- Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974)](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/414/563/), Justia / US Supreme Court
35. [AIIC -- Court interpreting in the United States revisited (certification history and Negron case)](https://aiic.net/page/6595/court-interpreting-in-the-united-states-revisited/lang/1), AIIC
36. [Wikipedia -- DeepL Translator (neural MT launch August 28, 2017)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepL_Translator), Wikipedia
37. [Understanding AI -- How human translators are coping with competition from powerful AI](https://www.understandingai.org/p/how-human-translators-are-coping), Understanding AI

### Predecessors & successors

38. [Lion People Global -- History of Translation and Interpretation (dragoman era)](https://lionpeopleglobal.com/history-of-translation-and-interpretation/), Lion People Global
39. [AIIC -- History of AIIC and the interpreting profession](https://aiic.org/site/world/about/history), International Association of Conference Interpreters
40. [American Translators Association -- Who We Are: History of ATA (founded 1959, early membership including language educators)](https://www.atanet.org/aboutus/history.php), American Translators Association
41. [BLS OOH -- Interpreters and Translators 2024-25 (localization management as career path)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
42. [O\*NET 27-3091.00 -- Interpreters and Translators (career transitions data)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-3091.00), O\*NET / BLS
43. [Understanding AI -- How human translators are coping with competition from powerful AI](https://www.understandingai.org/p/how-human-translators-are-coping), Understanding AI

### Present-day analysis

- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Interpreters and Translators, 2024-25](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm), accessed 2026-05-23
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Interpreters and Translators (27-3091.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-3091.00), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Goldman Sachs — The Potentially Large Effects of AI on Economic Growth, 2023](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/generative-ai-could-raise-global-gdp-by-7-percent.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [American Translators Association — Compensation Survey 2024](https://www.atanet.org/business-practices/compensation-survey/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Slator Language Industry Intelligence — AI and MT Market Report 2025](https://slator.com/slator-2025-language-industry-market-report/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [NCIHC — National Standards for Community Interpreting](https://www.ncihc.org/national-standards-of-practice), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Court Interpreters Act (28 U.S.C. § 1827) — Federal Certification Requirement](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1827), accessed 2026-05-23
- [DeepL for Business — Translation Quality and Editing Workflows](https://www.deepl.com/en/enterprise), accessed 2026-05-23
- [ElevenLabs — Multilingual v2 Dubbing and Voice Cloning](https://elevenlabs.io/dubbing-studio), accessed 2026-05-23
- [HeyGen — AI Video Translation and Dubbing](https://www.heygen.com/video-translation), accessed 2026-05-23

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.