Do Terps Make The Big Bucks!?

AquaBlue

AquaBlue

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Note: I am being playful with this thread. :)

With ALL the certications in pocket and a college degree as an ASL terp, will my family (future tense) have gourmet food on the table or just bread and water (and hungry tears)?

Another Note: Heck I'll translate for free...I am just a little curious. I mean a family could spring up later in my life and bills will have to be payed.
 
AquaBlue said:
Note: I am being playful with this thread. :)

With ALL the certications in pocket and a college degree as an ASL terp, will my family (future tense) have gourmet food on the table or just bread and water (and hungry tears)?

Another Note: Heck I'll translate for free...I am just a little curious. I mean a family could spring up later in my life and bills will have to be payed.
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It pays the bills, I don't know anyone who's getting "rich" as an ASL 'Terp though.
 
Wirelessly posted

The profession itself pays well as for getting rich hmmmm not that I know of. I love interpreting and will always be part of the deaf community. I recently, changed careers do to cut backs at my current job needed to find a better future for myself. Sign language become a hobby of mine and become a career by the man upstairs.

You can do it for free gives you practice and rewarding . Is there a deaf community in your area ? If so, do volunteer for special events. You will learn and get experience. Are you seeking a career interpreting or are you currently a student ? Just wondering
 
VRS terps make good money from what I was told.
 
Oh yes, terp earned very well. My ex-wife is a life time career terp. She work at RIT part time and Sorenson part time. She earn more working at Sorenson.
She does have a BA degree in Journalism but she doesn't like working involving a "deadline". She doesn't like pressure. When she met me, she decided to become an interpreter. There are few that earn very very well since some terps are well known for involving theater/perforamce, like Kennedy Center and such. Being rich? I dunno...
 
I guess it depends on how many $$$$ equal "rich." A good year for me would be $24,000. So far, this year, I've made $6,000. Not rich.
 
:dunno: Seriously because the information is not shared across the board and I never work inside terp VRS department so I have no idea. My department is completely separated. This is to ensure that privacy is not compromised. I have met an interpreter that have 5 jobs just to meet the cost of living, so I am not sure of the pay. I never seen anyone that turns rich from being Interpreter.

authentic said:
Sorenson VRS terps make $80k/year....... dhb feel free to incorrect me. :D

interpreter Salary in San Francisco, CA | Indeed.com
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I had thought that the best pay was for those that did court interpreting. I think that someone would actually make a good living doing that. Don't know the demand of this profession though and how many would use court interpreting.
 
authentic said:
Sorenson VRS terps make $80k/year....... dhb feel free to incorrect me. :D

interpreter Salary in San Francisco, CA | Indeed.com
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The link you provided is for San Francisco. Salary usually depends on the cost of living. If you worked in San Francisco, you would likely get paid more than if you had the same job in another city/state.

Compared to the national average, the cost of living in San Francisco is nearly double that average. I'm in Dallas, TX. The cost of living here is less than the national average.
 
VamPyroX said:
The link you provided is for San Francisco. Salary usually depends on the cost of living. If you worked in San Francisco, you would likely get paid more than if you had the same job in another city/state.

Compared to the national average, the cost of living in San Francisco is nearly double that average. I'm in Dallas, TX. The cost of living here is less than the national average.
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If you know how to find a cheap cost of living in San Francisco, most of my friends able to find apartment for rent $500/monthly and their income is more than $5k/monthly. Fastest way to save your money here in San Francisco.
 
Most terps that I know are contractors, and even though they may get paid well per hour, they don't have a steady work schedule. They may work 50 hours one week and only five the next. Most don't get any fringe benefits, so they have to pay for those as well.
 
green427 said:
Most terps that I know are contractors, and even though they may get paid well per hour, they don't have a steady work schedule. They may work 50 hours one week and only five the next. Most don't get any fringe benefits, so they have to pay for those as well.
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Yep. There are no guarantees of work.
 
dereksbicycles said:
I had thought that the best pay was for those that did court interpreting. I think that someone would actually make a good living doing that. Don't know the demand of this profession though and how many would use court interpreting.
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We have a total of eight - count 'em - 8 - Legal Terps in MA. They are paid $85 an hour portal to portal. I think MCDHH charges about twice that - and there is hardly ever just one - there are almost always two. How much do they make? Probably depends on how many hours they put in a week. They are like hen's teeth - I went to court one day and the legal terp I requested had been reassigned to a high stakes criminal hearing. Yikes!

I believe generic terps in MA make $45 an hour portal to portal - more for medical - the highest for legal. There is a huge demand here. In fact, I know of a case where a terp was flown in from Detroit in order to handle an immigration hearing.
 
green427 said:
Most terps that I know are contractors, and even though they may get paid well per hour, they don't have a steady work schedule. They may work 50 hours one week and only five the next. Most don't get any fringe benefits, so they have to pay for those as well.
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At least in MA we have the health exchange and most folks have insurance through that, if not through private insurance. :cool2: Some do work for the state or even hospitals - I know a hospital that has a terp on staff. But most do contract work and the ones I know are very busy. It takes 2-3 weeks to arrange to even get a terp and it takes months for legal terps.:shock:
 
If terp were done though agency, I don't believe they earn that much money, probably half of or bit less of these rates. The rest of pay goes to an agency that sent terp over.
 
diehardbiker said:
If terp were done though agency, I don't believe they earn that much money, probably half of or bit less of these rates. The rest of pay goes to an agency that sent terp over.
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The agency rates are very high for legal terps - I know that.
 
mcg907 said:
At least in MA we have the health exchange and most folks have insurance through that, if not through private insurance. :cool2: Some do work for the state or even hospitals - I know a hospital that has a terp on staff. But most do contract work and the ones I know are very busy. It takes 2-3 weeks to arrange to even get a terp and it takes months for legal terps.:shock:
Click to expand...

Yup, it will goes effect for all states in 2014 due to ACA.
 
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