How to Become a Translator

If you are multilingual or bilingual, enjoy using your diverse linguistic skills with a variety of people, and enjoy writing, then becoming a translator may be an attractive career choice. But what does a career as a translator truly entail?

Training and credential expectations vary by employer, language pair, subject area, and setting. Some translation roles are open to candidates with strong language skills and a bachelor’s degree; others may prefer specialized experience, certification, or subject-matter knowledge. This guide explains what translators do, how the role differs from interpreting, and what to consider when comparing translation with speech-language pathology or another communication-focused career.

What is a Translator and What Does a Translator Do?

What do translators do? Translators convert written text from a source language into a target language. Their work may include documents, reports, patient materials, technical manuals, educational materials, websites, subtitles, or other written content. Unlike speech pathologists, who focus on providing therapy to individuals with speech-related issues, translators are responsible for converting written text from one language to another.

It sounds simple enough, but two seemingly similar translator positions may look completely different in practice. In the next section, learn more about a few of the common work environments that translators may find themselves in.

Translator Work Environments and Earning Potential

Before you begin your career as a translator, you may want to identify your preferred work setting. There are a number of potential settings for translator work. BLS lists professional, scientific, and technical services; self-employment; educational services; hospitals; and government among the largest employer categories for interpreters and translators. Translators often work in offices or remote settings, receive assignments electronically, and manage deadlines that can vary by project.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook from May 2024, interpreters and translators held about 75,300 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of interpreters and translators were as follows:

• Professional, scientific, and technical services: 29%
• Self-employed workers: 27%
• Educational services; state, local, and private: 17%
• Hospitals: state, local, and private: 7%
• Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals: 5%

Interpreters may work anywhere live communication is needed, including schools, healthcare settings, courts, detention facilities, conferences, and remote appointments. Some roles involve frequent travel, especially liaison or escort interpreting. The work can also be demanding because interpreters often need to process language in real time, manage sensitive situations, and adjust quickly to the setting.

Translators more often complete written projects from an office or remote workspace. Much of their work is exchanged electronically, and deadlines can create pressure when projects involve tight turnaround times or detailed review.

What is the Difference between a Translator vs. Interpreter?

The simplest way to remember the difference is this: translators usually work with text, while interpreters work with live communication. Some language professionals do both, but the skills are not identical. Translation often requires strong writing, editing, and research skills. Interpreting requires quick listening or signing, strong memory, clear delivery, and the ability to keep pace with a conversation as it unfolds. Understanding the distinction between a translator and an interpreter may help you decide which path is right for you.

A translator might convert a document, website, book, patient form, legal record, or set of instructions from one language into another. Their work usually involves reading the original text closely, preserving its meaning and tone, and adapting cultural references or expressions that may not translate word-for-word. Many translators also use software tools to maintain consistent terminology and review translated text before it is finalized.

An interpreter helps people communicate in real time, either in person or remotely. Interpreters may work in settings such as schools, hospitals, courts, conferences, community agencies, or public meetings. Depending on the assignment, they may interpret while someone is speaking, wait until a speaker pauses, or read a written document aloud in another language for immediate understanding.

Can You Become an Interpreter or Translator with a Master’s in Speech Pathology?

A speech language pathology degree is not required to become a translator. If you’ve already spent time looking for information on how to become a speech pathologist or how to become a translator, you may have come across suggested degree programs, like a Bachelor of Speech Pathology or Master of Speech Pathology. While earning either of these two degrees may help set you on the path to becoming a translator, they are by no means a necessity. BLS notes that interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and strong proficiency in English and at least one other language; common degree fields include foreign language, business, and communications.

Bilingual Speech Pathology Programs

If you are bilingual or enjoy working across multiple languages, the Speech Language Pathology field may be a career track worth considering. In fact, the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) offers a specific credential for SLPs who can lend their skills across multiple languages - the Multilingual Service Provider (MSP). Considering a career as a bilingual speech pathologist, an undergraduate program or a master’s degree focused on speech-language pathology could provide you with skills you may not be able to obtain in a related program. There are a variety of SLP master’s and certificate programs that offer multilingual tracks, study-abroad components, and other features to prepare students for entry into the field.

Explore our guides on SLP careers and becoming an SLP to better understand the options available to you as an MSP.

What are the requirements to be a translator?

There are different paths you can take to become a translator. No single pathway is the correct one. However, there are a few common prerequisites and certifications shared among translators. We’ve highlighted them below:

Education Requirements for Translators

Some individuals may be able to leverage their language skills and credentials to pursue a career as a translator without a relevant degree. However, according to the BLS, many hiring managers look for graduates with related bachelor’s-level degrees, or, at times, advanced degrees. One common area of study for translators includes single- or dual-language programs, but studying a specific language is not a requirement for translators, nor will it guarantee you a job. As previously stated by the BLS, some translators obtain a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology or a master’s in speech pathology before entering the field.

Training Requirements for Translators

There is no official or formal training required to begin working as a translator. A bachelor’s degree in a language-related field of study may be a starting point for those who wish to build a career in the field. It also can’t hurt to have multicultural experience or spend time practicing the languages you know.

Interested in translation as a career? The American Translators Association offers a free guide for people starting out in the field, with practical information on building skills, finding work, and understanding the profession. Visit ATA’s Starting Your Career page to download the guide and learn more about the next steps.

What is ATA Certification?

The American Translators Association (ATA) offers a voluntary certification for translators who want to demonstrate professional-level translation ability. ATA certification is not required for every translator job, but some clients, agencies, or employers may view it as a useful credential.

ATA certification is tied to a specific language pair and direction, such as Spanish-to-English. Translators must be ATA members and pass a three-hour, proctored certification exam in that language direction. ATA describes the exam as a professional credentialing exam, not an entry-level language test, so candidates should already have strong translation skills before registering.

Before pursuing ATA certification, check whether ATA offers an exam in your language pair, review the testing rules, and consider whether the credential fits the type of translation work you want to do. It is also worth noting that an ATA-certified translator is different from a certified translator, who is a translator whose work is accompanied by a signed accuracy statement.

How Is AI Affecting Translation Careers?

Artificial intelligence is already changing translation work, so prospective translators should understand both the opportunity and the risk. Machine translation and generative AI tools can help with speed, terminology review, first drafts, and post-editing, but they also may reduce demand for some routine translation work.

The career outlook reflects that tension. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects slower-than-average employment growth for interpreters and translators from 2024 to 2034, while still projecting thousands of openings each year. BLS also notes that computer tools, including AI, are improving efficiency in the field, although many translation and localization jobs cannot be fully automated because human translators still bring judgment, cultural context, writing skills, and subject-matter knowledge to the work.

The American Translators Association says AI is reshaping translation and interpreting, but argues that greater use of AI increases the need for expert human linguists who can evaluate quality, catch errors, and handle complex language decisions. At the same time, translators should not ignore the pressure AI is creating. A 2024 Society of Authors survey found that many translator respondents were concerned about income loss, consent, credit, compensation, and transparency when creative work is used in AI systems.

Industry and labor research also suggest that the effects may be uneven. The 2025 European Language Industry Survey reported weaker expectations among independent language professionals, especially freelancers, as AI changes pricing, workflows, and client expectations. Research from Oxford’s Institute for New Economic Thinking found that areas with higher adoption of machine translation experienced declines in translator employment, suggesting that some parts of the market are more exposed to automation than others.

For students considering this field, the practical takeaway is not that translation is disappearing. It is that the strongest career paths may require more than language fluency. Future translators may need to build skills in editing AI-generated translations, managing terminology, using computer-assisted translation tools, specializing in fields such as legal, medical, technical, literary, or localization work, and explaining to clients when human review is necessary.

What Can Help You Become a Translator?

Becoming a translator is not always a step-by-step career path. Some translators study language, linguistics, translation, writing, or a specialized subject area. Others gain experience through freelance work, internships, volunteer projects, professional training, or jobs that require strong bilingual communication skills.

Still, a few things can help if you want to work in translation:

• Strong fluency in at least two languages: Professional translation usually requires more than conversational ability. Translators need to understand grammar, tone, vocabulary, cultural references, and context.
• Excellent writing skills: Translators often translate into their strongest written language, so clear, accurate writing matters.
• Practice with real translation tasks: Coursework, internships, volunteer translation, freelance projects, and mentorship can help you build judgment and speed.
• Subject-matter knowledge: Legal, medical, technical, literary, and business translation all require more than language fluency. Specializing can make your skills more useful to clients or employers.
• Technology skills: Many translators use computer-assisted translation tools, terminology databases, and, increasingly, AI-assisted workflows that still require careful human review.
• Optional certification: Credentials such as ATA certification may help demonstrate professional skill in a specific language direction, but certification is not required for every role.

The right mix depends on the kind of translation work you want to do. A literary translator, a medical translator, a legal translator, and a website localizer may all need different training, portfolios, and professional contacts.

Is a Career as a Translator Right for You?

A career as a translator has its perks, from working with diverse groups of people to learning about new cultures. But the job isn’t for everyone. Before locking in your career choice, you may want to explore options beyond a translator role.

If you want to keep your options open, pursuing a degree like speech pathology may help to set you on the path to becoming a translator while allowing you to explore alternative careers for speech pathologists. Only you can decide what’s right for you.