Language Careers Statistics
- The most popular and in-demand languages are the "PFIGS" languages - Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.
- Translators are also in demand for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
- European schoolchildren take two or three languages to prepare them for trade and work with other countries in Europe.
- English as a Second Language courses are incredibly popular in Asia.
- Many companies require a degree or certificate in language studies and at least 3-5 years experience.
- Almost 30% of interpreters and translators are self-employed:
- 10% work for healthcare institutions.
- 20% are in education.
- 10% work in government capacities.
- Important skills include tact, mental dexterity, good analytical skills, and a good memory.
- The certification agency for court interpreting is the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators.
- The Federal government offers court interpreter certificates for Spanish, Navajo, and Haitian Creole.
- There were about 94,000 employed speech pathologists in 2002:
- About half of them were in educational institutions/services
- 46 states require pathologists to be licensed, and a Master's degree is usually required.
- There are about 233 schools that offer graduate programs in speech-language pathology.
- Average annual earnings for this field in 2002 were $49,450.
- In 2002, there were 24,000 people employed as translators or interpreters in this country. The actual number of qualified candidates is much higher, however, since many people in the industry work only sporadically.
- Over 20% are self-employed.
- Median hourly earnings for salaried employees were $15.67 in 2002.
- Translators that know Chinese or Japanese can be paid up to
