25 Jun How much can you earn as a freelance translator?

How much can you earn as a freelance translator?

If you are a beginner freelance translator, it is understandable that you would want to know how much you could make. Additionally, people who have been doing freelance translation work for a while may want to know whether they are making enough.

What Can You Expect to Make?

Data collected from sources such as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American Translators Association indicates that the median pay is about $40,000. Those at the highest end of this scale make about $79,000. The people that make these huge amounts are mostly employed as federal government language specialists.

What Makes the Difference between High and Low Incomes?

Most translators can do about 400 to 600 per hour for an average job. Per day, that works about to about 3,000 words. When weekends and some vacation time are accounted for, that is about $50,000 a year.

However, if a translator were to work on high-value translations, that rate could double or triple. It is especially so if the translator knows how to use software to assist in the translation of speech. With such tools, he or she could make up to $200,000 per year.

In general, high quality works lead to better pay. Other factors that could influence the amount a person makes are experience, education, and self-confidence. It is important that you do not allow stubborn clients to bully you into cheap rates.

Besides that, do not allow the cheap competition to intimidate you into accepting low rates. One of the worst mistakes that you can make in freelance translation work is to self-deprecate.

Tips on How You Can Improve Your Earnings

While it may seem like you have reached the upper limit of how much you can make as a freelance translator. There are numerous tricks, which you can use to boost your earnings.

Do Low-Value Work

If you deal in high-quality translations, you will be limited to only a few jobs a day. However, you can get around this by doing low-value translations. There are so many of them that you will never be out of work. It is a strategy that sees you make as much as $100,000 per year.

Work Yourself to the Bone

One way to boost your earnings is to work at least 50 hours a week. However, you must ensure that you are able to produce moderate quality work. With this strategy, you can boost your earning a great deal. However, it also means that you will have to sacrifice most of your vacation time.

Live in a Cheap Place

If you live in a first world country, making about $40,000 a year might not seem like much. However, if you are willing to relocate to a cheaper country, that salary could go a long way. That way, it would not have to seem like such a hassle just to get by.

In Summary

It is quite possible to make a lot of money as a freelance translator. However, if you want to have great freestyle without making mega amounts, that is still possible. If you follow any of the strategies above, you can make quite a good amount and live comfortably.