ATA-Certified English to Spanish Translator Rates Thread poster: Wilsonn Perez Reyes
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I wonder if English to Spanish translators are able to survive with these rates in the USA. I am asking because I will soon live in the USA. I am not ATA-certified, but... (I hope I am not violating any rule for asking this!)
"Looking for ATA-certified English to Spanish translators"
Budget and payment details:
$0.03 USD to $0.06 USD per word
Poster country: United States
Additional Details:
Preferably living in the U.S.
Quote... See more I wonder if English to Spanish translators are able to survive with these rates in the USA. I am asking because I will soon live in the USA. I am not ATA-certified, but... (I hope I am not violating any rule for asking this!)
"Looking for ATA-certified English to Spanish translators"
Budget and payment details:
$0.03 USD to $0.06 USD per word
Poster country: United States
Additional Details:
Preferably living in the U.S.
Quotes received: 10
[Edited at 2021-11-05 12:21 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag 
United States
Local time: 11:30
Spanish to English
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| The sad reality | Nov 5, 2021 |
The rates you cite are not viable for a reasonably comfortable existence in the United States. Unfortunately, these are the kinds of rates now being offered by agencies. If you are lucky, maybe the rate is eight cents. Sometimes there is no premium at all for rush or weekend work (i.e., over and above the depressed "normal" rates).
And the normal payment terms are 30 to 45 days following invoicing (and sometimes longer).
Note that these are the rates offered to transla... See more The rates you cite are not viable for a reasonably comfortable existence in the United States. Unfortunately, these are the kinds of rates now being offered by agencies. If you are lucky, maybe the rate is eight cents. Sometimes there is no premium at all for rush or weekend work (i.e., over and above the depressed "normal" rates).
And the normal payment terms are 30 to 45 days following invoicing (and sometimes longer).
Note that these are the rates offered to translators with ATA certification.
Such is the sad reality for freelance translators working from Spanish to English. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Wilsonn Perez Reyes
El Salvador
Local time: 09:30
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for your comments, Robert. Then, it looks like translation in the pair English-Spanish does not seem to be a good work option in the USA. Meanwhile, it is interesting that wages are going up in other sectors in the USA. For example:
By Grace Dean
Wed, November 3, 2021, 10:16 AM
"Construction company owner says labor shortage means he's paying up to $20 an hour to workers who have 'no idea' how to do the job."
(...)
The US is suffering fr... See more Thanks for your comments, Robert. Then, it looks like translation in the pair English-Spanish does not seem to be a good work option in the USA. Meanwhile, it is interesting that wages are going up in other sectors in the USA. For example:
By Grace Dean
Wed, November 3, 2021, 10:16 AM
"Construction company owner says labor shortage means he's paying up to $20 an hour to workers who have 'no idea' how to do the job."
(...)
The US is suffering from a labor shortage as record numbers of Americans quit their jobs in search of better wages, benefits, and working conditions. Like Huddleston's firm, other understaffed small businesses have reported the labor shortage is hurting their incomes.
Huddleston told the publication that he'd raised wages, offered paid vacation benefits to new hires, and hired staff from another contractor to plug his labor shortage. He said he was hiring inexperienced staff, too.
"I'm having to pay guys $18 to $20 an hour that absolutely have no idea how to operate in my industry, just to get them to show up," he said.
In 2020, construction laborers earned an average hourly wage of $20.92 and an average annual wage of $43,520, per data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
https://us.yahoo.com/news/construction-company-owner-says-labor-161629124.html
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It seems clear then that I will have to turn to any other industry, like construction, even if I don't have any experience at all!
[Edited at 2021-11-05 13:54 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| Budget English into Spanish is probably going to be the worst market | Nov 5, 2021 |
America has oodles of native Spanish speakers. This guy is probably willing to hire anyone who dropped out of university in Mexico and lived in the USA long enough to have decent English.
I'm guessing the ATA thing isn't a serious prerequisite and is just posted to filter out amateurs and newbies.
The job will go to someone who replies "Hello, I am a professional translator, not actually ATA certified, BUT..."
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 11:30
Spanish to English
+ ...
| The even sadder reality | Nov 5, 2021 |
Wilsonn Perez Reyes wrote:
Thanks for your comments, Robert. Then, it looks like translation in the pair English-Spanish does not seem to be good work option in the USA.
The situation in English-to-Spanish is even worse than that of Spanish-to-English. This is because of all the competition from well-educated translators in Latin American countries whose English is good enough to work out of as a source language.
[...]
In 2020, construction laborers earned an average hourly wage of $20.92 and an average annual wage of $43,520, per data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
https://us.yahoo.com/news/construction-company-owner-says-labor-161629124.html
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It seems clear then that I will have to turn to any other industry, like construction, even if I don't have any experience at all!
For those who are young and fit enough, transition into a career in construction (or perhaps truck driving) might not be a bad option.
| | | | Wilsonn Perez Reyes
El Salvador
Local time: 09:30
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Then, I think I would need to explore the idea of working also as an interpreter in a medical and/or legal setting when I move to the USA in 2023.
[Edited at 2021-11-05 15:01 GMT]
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| Medical interpreting seems to be a dead end | Nov 5, 2021 |
There are many horror stories about below minimum wage pay and hiring absolutely unqualified randos.
From what I hear, covid made it worse, because remote became the new normal. Apparently, they find people willing to interpret for $1.50 - 2.50 / 10 minute interval these days. No two hour minimum, not even an hour minimum, and yes, the decimal point is correctly placed.
[Edited at 2021-11-05 15:28 GMT]
[Edited at 2021-11-05 15:29 GMT]
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 11:30
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Working as an interpreter | Nov 5, 2021 |
Hi Wilsonn,
This is a transition I myself have made. And I only did this because it suddenly became clear to me in 2019 that it was no longer viable for me to make a living solely as a freelance translator.
If you make such a transition, I think the most sound approach would be to assume that whatever income you earn as an interpreter is what you have to live on. (So anything you earn from translation side gigs would just be a bonus.)
With such an approach ... See more Hi Wilsonn,
This is a transition I myself have made. And I only did this because it suddenly became clear to me in 2019 that it was no longer viable for me to make a living solely as a freelance translator.
If you make such a transition, I think the most sound approach would be to assume that whatever income you earn as an interpreter is what you have to live on. (So anything you earn from translation side gigs would just be a bonus.)
With such an approach in mind, I would not recommend working solely as a medical interpreter. Get (at minimum) state certification as a court interpreter. I don't know if you have a definitive destination in the US, but the ideal would be not to try to work in an area where there is already an abundance of federally and state certified Spanish interpreters (e.g., Los Angeles, Miami, and New York). The combination of intense competition and high cost of living make such areas unattractive options (again, if you have a choice).
I hope this helps. ▲ Collapse
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Wilsonn Perez Reyes
El Salvador
Local time: 09:30
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Robert for your input. My only choice is to live in Arkansas because it has 1) a fine weather all year round and 2) the cost of living is one of the lowest in the USA. The only downside is that the criminality rate in Arkansas is high, but as a Salvadoran, I am accostumed to that situation. Things will not be easy at first, but I will try to remain optimistic. At least life will be a little better than staying here in El Salvador.
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 11:30
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Further thoughts | Nov 5, 2021 |
Hi again,
This sounds like a good choice (i.e., in terms of the factors I mentioned in my previous post). Without knowing, I am fairly sure that there is a large population of Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency in Arkansas (i.e., at least in the state's two or three largest metro regions), and that a significant percentage of these persons end up in the state's court systems and hospitals. I would also guess that there is a shortage of certified legal interpreters the... See more Hi again,
This sounds like a good choice (i.e., in terms of the factors I mentioned in my previous post). Without knowing, I am fairly sure that there is a large population of Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency in Arkansas (i.e., at least in the state's two or three largest metro regions), and that a significant percentage of these persons end up in the state's court systems and hospitals. I would also guess that there is a shortage of certified legal interpreters there (though you should look into this personally).
So perhaps fertile ground there.
Of course, there is that other matter of actually having and/or developing the skills needed to do medical, legal, and/or conference interpreting.
You don't list "interpretation" on your profile as a service that you currently offer. If this means that you have no professional interpreting experience (and if you don't happen to be an absolute natural interpreter who can quickly pass qualifying tests and "hit the ground running" in a court room, hospital, or conference booth) then the first thing you need to do is determine if you have the skills to be an interpreter - or if you can realistically see a path to quickly acquiring such skills.
The importance of making this determination cannot be stressed enough. The transition from translation to interpreter is by no means a natural one, and will in a best-case scenario (again, unless you happen to be a "natural") require considerable effort and tolerance of frustration.
That's in a best-case scenario. And the worst case?
The black hole of spending many years - and thousands of dollars - trying to acquire skills that you can't hope to ever master sufficiently to pass the needed tests and work at a minimally acceptable professional level.
All this being said, such a transition is possible, even at an advanced age. I can vouch for that personally.
I can also vouch for the considerable effort required to have made such a transition.
[Edited at 2021-11-05 17:34 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Wilsonn Perez Reyes
El Salvador
Local time: 09:30
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | A few thoughts | Nov 7, 2021 |
These comments definitely help me get a better picture of what I will face in the USA. No sugar coating!
Adieu, I really cannot afford to be that pesimistic. In general terms, in one way or another, people have by far better life prospects in the USA than in any other Latin America country. Since I will be able to legally immigrate to the USA, I will take that opportunity. The die has been cast!
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| Just don't expect TOO many new opportunities | Nov 7, 2021 |
A USA address might help reassure potential clients, but other than that, the translation market is pretty global and interpreting is currently pretty sad.
Costs of living will be higher, too, and A LOT higher if you're seeking calm, clean, and safe neighborhoods (which I'm guessing is a major draw for you?)
Wilsonn Perez Reyes wrote:
These comments definitely help me get a better picture of what I will face in the USA. No sugar coating!
Adieu, I really cannot afford to be that pesimistic. In general terms, in one way or another, people have by far better life prospects in the USA than in any other Latin America country. Since I will be able to legally immigrate to the USA, I will take that opportunity. The die has been cast!
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