H-1B Demand for Interpreters and Translators Surges, Offering Higher Salaries
Explore H-1B visa filings for Interpreters and Translators. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 92% |
| Average Salary | $61,629 |
| Salary Range | $31,200 - $170,028 |
| Top Sponsor | Michael Brooks Jimenez, PC |
| Primary Location | California |
Interpreters and Translators is one of the H-1B visa categories with 15 filings and an average salary of $75,935. H-1B hiring for Interpreters and Translators is heavily concentrated in a few states, with Massachusetts, California, and Washington leading. The average salary offered to H-1B Interpreters and Translators is significantly higher than the median salary for the occupation. There's a notable increase in H-1B petitions filed for this role in FY2025 compared to FY2023, suggesting growing demand. The number of H-1B petitions filed is relatively small compared to the overall employment in the field, indicating a niche but potentially growing area for H-1B sponsorship.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 92% |
| Average Salary | $61,629 |
| Median Salary | $60,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,568 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $31,200 |
| Maximum Salary | $170,028 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,600 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,568 |
| Median (50th) | $60,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $85,425 |
| Average | $61,629 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Brooks Jimenez, PC | 6 | $39k |
| City of Brockton | 3 | $61k |
| American Education and Translation Services Corp | 3 | $52k |
| Northwestern University | 2 | $60k |
| JOYCE AND ASSOCIATES P.C. | 2 | $50k |
| Nine Beats Drummer Academy LLC | 2 | $60k |
| Walia INC | 2 | $46k |
| Terran Industries LLC | 2 | $54k |
| Freemen Nutra Group LLC | 2 | $66k |
| Law Office of Han Shu Inc | 2 | $48k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 34 |
| New York | 14 |
| Massachusetts | 10 |
| Oklahoma | 6 |
| New Jersey | 5 |
| Illinois | 4 |
| Texas | 4 |
| Washington | 3 |
| Georgia | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 |
Focus on developing specialized language skills and targeting employers in states like Massachusetts, California, and Washington, as these appear to be key hubs for H-1B sponsorship in the Interpreters and Translators field.
The average H-1B salary for Interpreters and Translators is $75,935, with a median of $64,197. The 25th-75th percentile range is $53,926 to $93,600.
Top H-1B sponsors for Interpreters and Translators include City of Brockton, Strategic Staffing Solutions, L.C., American Education and Translation Services Corp, Children's Crisis Treatment Center, Inc., Kylli Inc.. A total of 11 employers have filed for this role.
There are 15 H-1B filings on record for Interpreters and Translators positions. 80.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Interpreters and Translators positions are Massachusetts (5), California (3), Washington (2), North Carolina (1), Florida (1).
Yes, Interpreters and Translators is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 15 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Interpreters and Translators salaries range from $38,189 to $170,028. The median salary is $64,197.
The approval rate for Interpreters and Translators H-1B petitions is 80.0%. The average salary ($170,028) is substantially higher than the median salary ($64,197), indicating H-1B roles may be for specialized or senior positions.
The geographic concentration in MA, CA, and WA suggests these states have a higher demand for specialized language services, possibly due to international business or diverse populations.
Focus on developing specialized language skills and targeting employers in states like Massachusetts, California, and Washington, as these appear to be key hubs for H-1B sponsorship in the Interpreters and Translators field.
The sharp increase from 1 petition in FY2023 to 14 in FY2025 points to a rapidly expanding need for H-1B sponsored interpreters and translators.
The Interpreters and Translators occupation (SOC code 27-309100) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Interpreters and Translators positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Interpreters and Translators positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Interpreters and Translators positions show an average offered salary of $61,629, with a range from $31,200 at the entry level to $170,028 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (34 filings) and New York (14 filings).
Career outlook for Interpreters and Translators professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Interpreters and Translators role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Interpreters and Translators roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Interpreters and Translators positions, the average offered salary of $61,629 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 11.2%, with 66% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Interpreters and Translators positions is 92%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Interpreters and Translators positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Interpreters and Translators H-1B filings is approximately 35 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Interpreters and Translators positions.