Interpreters and Translators pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $124,060 or more. The middle half of interpreters and translators in San Diego earn between $52,140 and $102,600.
- $48K10th
- $52K25th
- $74KMedian
- $103K75th
- $124K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $79,960 | $6,663 | $38.44 |
| Median | $73,690 | $6,141 | $35.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $52,140 | $4,345 | $25.07 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $102,600 | $8,550 | $49.33 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Interpreters and Translators pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Interpreters and translators in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($78,800) and 20% more than the U.S. average ($66,360). At the median the gap is +22% against the U.S. median of $60,170.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $79,960 | $73,690 | $47,780 | $124,060 | 360 |
| 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 San Diego
On the average salary of $79,960, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $61,738 a year, or $5,145 a month and $2,375 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% 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 San Diego a good place for interpreters and translators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $79,960 buys what about $71,465 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 11.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Interpreters and Translators salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 6th 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 San Diego: questions
How much do interpreters and translators make an hour in San Diego?
$38.44 an hour on average, and $35.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level interpreters and translators salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,140, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the interpreters and translators take-home pay in San Diego?
About $61,738 a year ($5,145 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $79,960. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do interpreters and translators earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.9%.
- 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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