Interpreters and Translators Salary
Interpreters and Translators in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $55,400 a year, or about $26.63 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $60,414 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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.
About interpreters and translators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Interpreters and translators pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 36.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for interpreters and translators in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | $49K | $57K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $47K | $53K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $48K | $56K |
| Cedar Rapids | $52K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level interpreters and translators (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $38K 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a interpreters and translator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 36.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new interpreters and translators typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,211/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for interpreters and translators?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do interpreters and translators make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $55,400 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,850, and experienced interpreters and translators can clear $75,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,652/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 36.1% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median interpreters and translators salary is worth about $60,414 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.