Translator & Interpreter salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, a typical translator earned $101,530 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $93,650. About 300 people work in this occupation there.
That is 69% above the national median of $60,170. Compared with all occupations in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (median $84,050), translators earn 21% more. Its location quotient of 0.79 means the job is less common here than nationally.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $59,110, while the top 10% earned more than $107,480. Many translators are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $59,110 | $28.42 |
| 25th | $77,540 | $37.28 |
| Median | $101,530 | $48.81 |
| 75th | $106,350 | $51.13 |
| 90th | $107,480 | $51.68 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.