Interpreters and Translators Salary
Interpreters and Translators in Madison, WI make a median of $72,720 a year, or about $34.96 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $74,746 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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
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What this looks like in Madison
Madison sits well above the national pay line for interpreters and translators, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 24.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Madison offers a genuinely strong financial position for interpreters and translatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for interpreters and translators in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $65K | $67K |
| Green Bay | $64K | $68K |
| Appleton | $61K | $66K |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $63K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level interpreters and translators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $52K 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 Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a interpreters and translator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 24.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for interpreters and translators in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new interpreters and translators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,761/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Madison?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $73K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Madison compare to the national average for interpreters and translators?
Madison pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do interpreters and translators make in Madison, WI?
The median is $72,720 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,020, and experienced interpreters and translators can clear $97,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,728/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 24.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a interpreters and translators salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 $74,746 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.