Employment Outlook for Translators & Interpreters

Contrary to many other sectors, the fields of translation and interpreting are anticipated to grow quickly within the next few years. Of course, job prospects will vary by language and specialty, but there will be more of them across the board. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 22 percent over the next 8 years.

Much of this increase is due to strengthened ties between the United States and international organizations, expanded markets due to globalization, and the greater number of non-English-speaking immigrants in the United States.

The demand will grow for translators of frequently translated languages, such as Spanish, Arabic, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese. Moreover, the demand for translators of Farsi, Chinese, Japanese and Korean is expected to grow rapidly. In terms of location, larger cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Minneapolis provide the most opportunity for translators and interpreters working in all sectors.

Due to recent changes in legislation regarding finances and healthcare, it is expected that there will be an increase in demand for interpreters and translators specializing in healthcare, economics and law. In addition, due to the large number of companies that have expanded internationally, the job market for business and website translators will be especially good. As per usual, because of the relatively small number of translation or interpreting opportunities in literature and the arts, these fields will remain competitive.