Interpreter and Translator Salary in New York, NY
Interpreters and Translators in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $87,590 a year — 46% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $66,317 take-home, or $5,526 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median interpreter and translator salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$10,440
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,431
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,270
- New York income tax$4,133
- Take-home pay$66,317
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $2,960 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $63,357 ($5,280 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Interpreter and Translator pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,200 | $23.17 | $38,903 | $3,242 |
| 25th percentile | $58,970 | $28.35 | $46,975 | $3,915 |
| Median (50th) | $87,590 | $42.11 | $66,317 | $5,526 |
| 75th percentile | $109,150 | $52.48 | $80,217 | $6,685 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $135,070 | $64.94 | $96,657 | $8,055 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $87,590 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median interpreter and translator's $66,317 take-home pay has the buying power of $58,915 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Interpreter and Translator jobs are less concentrated in New York, NY than nationally (location quotient 0.79), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for interpreters and translators, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #1 of 2 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $87,590 | $66,317 | $58,915 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $44,490 | $37,928 | $38,455 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 2 metros →
About the job: interpreters and translators
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a interpreter and translator make in New York, NY?
The median interpreter and translator salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $87,590 a year, or about $42.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $58,970 and $109,150.
What is a interpreter and translator’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $87,590 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $66,317 a year ($5,526 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,133 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a interpreter and translator?
Pay here is 46% above the national median of $60,170. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $58,915 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #1 of 2 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a interpreter and translator afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 43% of a median interpreter and translator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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