Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Translator & Interpreter salary in California
$70,770
Median annual
$34.02
Median hourly
$78,800
Mean annual
5,560
Employed
The median annual wage for interpreters and translators in California was $70,770 in May 2025, with an average of $78,800. About 5,560 people work in this occupation there.
That is 18% above the national median of $60,170. Compared with all occupations in California (median $58,240), translators earn 22% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,530, while the top 10% earned more than $119,810. Many translators are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,530 | $23.81 |
| 25th | $56,230 | $27.04 |
| Median | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| 75th | $102,010 | $49.04 |
| 90th | $119,810 | $57.60 |
Metro areas in California
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,530 | 300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $84,960 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,680 | 760 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $82,440 | 70 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $75,920 | 70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $74,310 | 450 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $73,690 | 360 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,460 | 1,480 |
| Fresno, CA | $68,050 | 110 |
| Visalia, CA | $66,000 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $64,360 | 430 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $63,900 | 50 |
| Salinas, CA | $62,720 | 560 |
| Modesto, CA | $60,530 | 40 |
| Merced, CA | $52,710 | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $50,480 | 80 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.