Translator Salary in UK - Average Salary (2023)

FAQs

How much are translators paid in UK? ›

Average £14.46 per hour.

Average £16.50 per hour.

Average £14.25 per hour.

Interpreters and Translators made a median salary of $49,110 in 2021. The best-paid 25% made $75,940 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $38,230.

Earning six figures (meaning over $100,000 US dollars per year) is a significant goal for lots of freelancers. It's an ambitious but achievable goal for most translators and interpreters who are good at their work, are ambitious, have good business skills, and are willing to work hard.

How much does a Translator make in United Kingdom? The average translator salary in the United Kingdom is £27,138 per year or £13.92 per hour. Entry level positions start at £23,500 per year while most experienced workers make up to £35,944 per year.

According to the 2021 Association of Translation Companies (ATC) report, the market for language services in the UK continues to grow.

Highest paying foreign languages to learn for jobs

According to Euro London, learning a language has been shown to increase your wage by up to 10-15%. The highest paying foreign languages for English native speakers are Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, German and Arabic.

German tops our list of the highest paying translation languages. The language is closely associated with the business world, so German translators often make good money. The average annual income of a German translator in the US is $50,000. Professionals in the UK make an average of £34,000.

You'll usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification in translation. Relevant degrees include: languages - courses which specialise in linguistics or translation may give you an advantage but are not essential. combined degrees which include a subject like law or science with languages.

How much do translators get paid in USA? ›

Average £27.42 per hour.

Becoming a Certified Translator in the UK

You simply have to register with a translation agency or find your own clients as a freelancer and start translating. However, those looking to formalise their skills have several options open to them. One is to become a Chartered Linguist (CL).

On average, interpreters make a roughly comparable wage to translators (the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics actually lumps them together) with an average salary also around $50,000/year but with a slightly different floor and ceiling of $35k to $65k a year.

Salary and job outlook of a translator

Their specialty and experience levels may influence their income. For example, a courtroom interpreter with ten years' experience may earn a higher salary than an interpreter who recently entered the field. Translators earn an average salary of $46,145 per year .

Thirty-one countries consider Spanish an official language, with 18 of these are located in South America. And due to the United States's proximity to South America and immigration trends, it's no surprise that Spanish is the most in-demand interpretation language.

In general, the study outcomes showed that professional translators experience medium to high levels of job-related stress.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20.2% employment growth for interpreters and translators between 2021 and 2031. In that period, an estimated 14,000 jobs should open up. While interpreters and translators both mold language to convey meaning, they shape it in distinct ways.

Translation can be a pretty stressful job, given its irregular hours and tight deadlines. Stress can cause detrimental effects on the physical and mental health of translators.

Which country pays better UK or USA? ›

Job opportunities: UK vs US

This means that wages are lower than in the US, but this is not always the case. The UK has a progressive tax system with higher taxes for those who earn a lot and lower taxes for those who earn less. People in the US pay much more income tax on average than people in the UK.

The average US salary is higher than the average salary in the UK. The discrepancy in salary rates comes from various factors, including the cost of living, healthcare systems and mandatory benefits. Salary rates also change based on gender, age and industry (or type of work).

It's certainly possible to earn a big salary as a professional freelance translator through massive output. And also by working very long hours. But these strategies will only work for a few. You can also have a great lifestyle without earning megabucks if you live, or are prepared to move, somewhere nice and cheap.

Certified translation requirements

A certified translation is where the translator or translation agency translates and certifies a document, with their signature and stamp. The certification from the translator or agency is usually in the form of a written statement included with the translated document.

Although there's no official requirement for becoming a translator, it's a good idea to become accredited. Having an accreditation means you're recognised as a qualified translator. In the UK, the Institute of Translation and Interpreting or Chartered Institute of Linguists can provide accreditations.

The minimum qualification for telephone interpreters should be a National Vocational Qualification Level 6 with a health element. Translation of documents can include the reading to the patient of a letter (or source of information) into the language required by the patient – known as sight translation.

The estimated total pay for a Subtitle Translator at Netflix is $31 per hour.

Although certification is not a requirement in the United States, it does have many benefits. It's a great way to stand out from other translators and shows how committed you are to your profession. Certification can also open career doors for you and makes you more trustworthy in the eyes of potential clients.

How much does a translator in Embassy make? ›

For employees working in embassies, their salary ranges from monthly Rs 40,000 to 100,000, depending on the nature of the work.

Simultaneous interpreters are the best paid in the language service industry. That's because it is the hardest job. Simultaneous interpreting requires excellent communication skills and perfect language abilities.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow twenty percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than for all jobs.” About 9,200 openings for translators and interpreters are projected annually for the next decade.

Interpreters and translators typically need a bachelor's degree; common fields of degree include foreign language, business, and communications. Students who study technical subjects, such as engineering or medicine, may be able to provide a higher level of interpreting and translation.

According to the American Translators Association, “A certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed statement attesting that the translation is accurate and complete to the best of the translator's knowledge and ability.” This is also known as a “Certificate of Accuracy” and is prepared by the ...

Avoiding literalisms is THE most difficult part of being a translator. It requires employing many different skills simultaneously: reading comprehension, writing proficiency, language knowledge and more.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 17% employment growth for interpreters and translators by 2026 due to this need for businesses to go global. This is much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations, and the industry is on track to add another 11,400 positions during this time.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $150,000 and as low as $18,000, the majority of International Translator salaries currently range between $36,000 (25th percentile) to $72,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $109,500 annually across the United States.

Dependant on language, usually between £35 and £60 per hour (excludes translation rate of transcribed text).

How much does an Interpreter charge per hour UK? ›

Average £27.42 per hour.

On average, interpreters make a roughly comparable wage to translators (the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics actually lumps them together) with an average salary also around $50,000/year but with a slightly different floor and ceiling of $35k to $65k a year.

Per-word rate is the most common measurement for pricing in the translation industry. Translation services rates in 2023 range from $0.09 to $0.40 per word in the United States. These rates vary due to factors such as choice of language, volume, turnaround, and subject matter.

1. Spanish. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world with over 430 million native speakers. The US has a Hispanic population of over 62 million and is a key market for Spanish second language learners.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20.2% employment growth for interpreters and translators between 2021 and 2031. In that period, an estimated 14,000 jobs should open up.