According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the career field of interpreting is consistently growing, and “projected to grow…much faster than the average for all occupations.” That means interpreters will have a significant level of job security—a very rare quality in a career. Health care interpreters are even more likely to be in demand, as health care is not dependent on market or industry trends. Professional certification will make you stand out amongst applicants, as there is currently such a shortage of interpreters that many who are hired are not certified. Click here to hear about Darsy Amaya’s experiences as an interpreter.
Interpreting while pursuing a college degree is both possible and wise. Because many interpreters are self-employed, they set their own schedules and take jobs when they choose to. This would allow student interpreters to pick up jobs outside of class hours, on weekends, or remotely. Interpreting as a student will also allow you important networking experiences in a variety of fields. Although our program is focused on interpreting for the health profession, certification as a medical interpreter can open doors for you as an interpreter in legal and business settings.
Interpreting as a college student also means you will likely be earning more than most of your classmates pursuing other part-time work. Estimates of average hourly pay for interpreters in Columbus range from $20-27, and the median hourly pay for interpreters nationally is $24. Even at its lowest estimate, that is more than $11 over Ohio’s minimum wage, and on average $9 more than most campus jobs.
