Interpreters and Translators Salary
Interpreters and Translators in Anchorage, AK make a median of $56,960 a year, or about $27.39 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $54,031 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,376/month, about 34.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Interpreters and translators pay in Anchorage tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,376/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level interpreters and translators (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Interpreters and Translators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Interpreters and Translators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $110K | +83% | 280 |
| Maryland | $89K | +47% | 1,150 |
| New York | $84K | +40% | 3,240 |
| Rhode Island | $82K | +37% | 200 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +21% | 2,280 |
| Colorado | $72K | +19% | 800 |
| California | $71K | +18% | 5,560 |
| Connecticut | $68K | +14% | 280 |
| Minnesota | $66K | +10% | 1,030 |
| Oregon | $66K | +10% | 660 |
| Idaho | $66K | +10% | 300 |
| Utah | $66K | +9% | 850 |
| New Mexico | $64K | +6% | 360 |
| Maine | $63K | +5% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | +5% | 1,410 |
| Virginia | $63K | +5% | 1,630 |
| Vermont | $62K | +4% | 80 |
| Washington | $62K | +3% | 1,250 |
| Ohio | $61K | +2% | 2,030 |
| New Jersey | $59K | -2% | 870 |
| Georgia | $58K | -4% | 1,600 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -5% | 80 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -5% | 1,420 |
| Missouri | $57K | -5% | 440 |
| New Hampshire | $56K | -6% | 240 |
| Illinois | $55K | -8% | 1,510 |
| Kentucky | $54K | -11% | 480 |
| South Dakota | $53K | -12% | 230 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -12% | 570 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -13% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -15% | 710 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -15% | 520 |
| Nevada | $50K | -16% | 320 |
| Arizona | $50K | -17% | 2,070 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -17% | 1,780 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -19% | 320 |
| Florida | $49K | -19% | 4,200 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -20% | 120 |
| North Dakota | $48K | -20% | 130 |
| Iowa | $48K | -20% | 560 |
| Indiana | $48K | -20% | 1,170 |
| Kansas | $48K | -20% | 470 |
| Montana | $48K | -20% | 60 |
| Texas | $48K | -21% | 6,780 |
| Alabama | $46K | -23% | 310 |
| Michigan | $45K | -25% | 940 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -30% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track interpreters and translators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Anchorage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a interpreters and translator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 34.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for interpreters and translators in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new interpreters and translators typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,521/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is interpreters and translator a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for interpreters and translators?
Anchorage pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do interpreters and translators make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $56,960 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,020, and experienced interpreters and translators can clear $102,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,984/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 34.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a interpreters and translators salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median interpreters and translators salary is worth about $54,031 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do interpreters and translators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.