What Salary Can a Medical Interpreting Certificate Get You?

What is the salary of a medical interpreter? 

If you speak multiple languages, you may want to put it to good use by pursuing a medical interpreting certificate.  Today medical interpreting is gaining more and more recognition in the US for its role in bridging language gaps between patients and caregivers in the healthcare industry. But having a positive impact on other people’s lives is not the only perk of being a medical interpreter. Job security is also a big perk.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of translation jobs in all industries is projected to increase by 42% in the next 12 months.. The employment of interpreters and translators is also expected to grow 18% from 2016 to 2026. The rate is much faster than the 7% average for all occupations overall! Read on to find out more about what you can expect to earn after graduating from a medical interpreting program.  

Salaries for a Medical Interpreting Certificate is on the Upswing

Medical interpreters can either be paid a standard salary or work on an hourly rate like other professionals. Their hours can be flexible, depending on if they work full time, part time, per diem or on an on-call basis. They can be stationed at the medical facility or work remotely through the phone.

Per PayScale, as of June 2018, the average pay for a medical interpreter is $19.89 per hour. Depending on their area of expertise and languages they specialize in, they could earn up to $30.74 per hour, and $44.41 for per hour for overtime.  In May 2017, the highest 10% of interpreters and translators earned more than $82,290 annually.  In March 29, 2018, the median annual medical interpreter salary in the US is $43,261, with a range usually between $38,064-$47,430 (depending on a variety of factors).

Again, according to PayScale, an entry-level certified medical interpreter with less than 5 years of experience can earn an average of $40,000. Those with 5 - 10 years of experience earn an average of $43,000.  With 10 - 20 years, they can earn $47,000. Medical interpreters with late-career experience earn $52,000. This positive trend of medical interpreter compensation comes as no surprise. Ongoing migration and globalization increase the need for better living and working conditions. Likewise, the rapid aging of the world’s population and constant presence of chronic diseases require hospitals to expand their staff. Experienced professionals who graduated medical interpreter certificate programs help meet all of these demands.

Factors Determining a Medical Interpreting Certificate Grad’s Salary

Medical interpreter salaries depend on 6 factors: the language(s) they speak, their skillfulness, their experience, their education, the type of employer, and the certification of the interpreter.

Demand is strong for interpreters of frequently translated languages like French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The trend remains consistent for speakers of Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages, as well as principal Asian languages like Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, and Korean.  Medical interpreters of indigenous languages from Mexico and Central America such as Mixtec, Zapotec, and Mayan languages also receive higher pay because they’re so rare and thus so in demand.

Another important factor to consider is that Interpreters who work in different parts of the US also earn differing salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those that live in Maine, New Jersey and Virginia, earn higher than the average for all interpreting fields. Hospital translators in the District of Columbia earn an annual mean wage of $92,420, and those that live in metropolitan areas in Maryland earn $79,510.

A Career in Healthcare: A Medical Interpreter Salary 

The most important qualification for interpreters is obviously their language skills, but the ability to speak multiple languages usually does not suffice. Professional medical interpreters should master a collection of medical terms in one or more languages, and be able to provide quick, accurate consecutive interpreting.  It’s also imperative that they can maintain confidentiality and neutrality for the patients they serve.

There are also additional steps interpreters can take to be more successful. Most interpreters have a BA or BS degree, if not a graduate degree.  Additionally, most of the time, they’ve gone through a medical interpreter course. A qualified medical interpreter requires certification from such courses and programs. Medical interpreter training demonstrates professional competence to employers. Some will make themselves even more marketable by volunteering in a clinic or hospital.  This can provide the hands-on, practical experiences many employers seek for. This experience helps build a strong reputation and allows interpreters to advance to more intricate and challenging work.

Get the necessary, in person training in order to become a competent professional interpreter. Register now for one of our interpreter training programs: Medical Interpreter Training, Legal Interpreter Training or Community & Business Interpreter Training.

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