Interpreters and Translators pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $124,810 or more. The middle half of interpreters and translators in Los Angeles earn between $60,890 and $98,520.
- $51K10th
- $61K25th
- $69KMedian
- $99K75th
- $125K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $78,410 | $6,534 | $37.70 |
| Median | $69,460 | $5,788 | $33.39 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $60,890 | $5,074 | $29.27 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $98,520 | $8,210 | $47.37 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Interpreters and Translators pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Interpreters and translators in Los Angeles earn about the same as the California average ($78,800) and 18% more than the U.S. average ($66,360). At the median the gap is +15% against the U.S. median of $60,170.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $78,410 | $69,460 | $51,000 | $124,810 | 1,480 |
| California | $78,800 | $70,770 | $49,530 | $119,810 | 5,560 |
| United States | $66,360 | $60,170 | $37,070 | $103,660 | 52,060 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Interpreters and Translators salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $78,410, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $60,791 a year, or $5,066 a month and $2,338 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for interpreters and translators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $78,410 buys what about $69,044 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 12.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Interpreters and Translators salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 8th of 16 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($93,650).
- San Jose$93,650
- Santa Maria$92,880
- San Francisco$90,940
- Santa Rosa$82,600
- Oxnard$81,410
- San Diego$79,960
- Riverside$79,240
- Los Angeles$78,410
- Salinas$75,080
- Bakersfield$72,910
Highest-paying cities for interpreters and translators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($93,650).
- San Jose, CA$93,650
- Washington, DC$93,460
- Santa Maria, CA$92,880
- New York, NY$91,110
- San Francisco, CA$90,940
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Interpreters and Translators salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do interpreters and translators make an hour in Los Angeles?
$37.70 an hour on average, and $33.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interpreters and translators salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interpreters and translators take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $60,791 a year ($5,066 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,410. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do interpreters and translators earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,360).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-3091; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.71, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.71).
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