Translator & Interpreter salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
The median annual wage for interpreters and translators in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC was $51,990 in May 2025, with an average of $57,680. About 140 people work in this occupation there.
That is 14% below the national median of $60,170. Compared with all occupations in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (median $60,720), translators earn 14% less. With a location quotient of 1.22, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,900, while the top 10% earned more than $84,960. Many translators are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,900 | $18.70 |
| 25th | $44,980 | $21.63 |
| Median | $51,990 | $25.00 |
| 75th | $61,670 | $29.65 |
| 90th | $84,960 | $40.85 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.