Translation and Interpretation Services NAICS 541930

        Translation and Interpretation Services

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Industry Summary

The 2,700 translation and interpretation service providers in the US translate written material, interpret speech from one language to another, and offer sign language services. Specific services include localization (adapting digital content for a specific market), transcription, subtitling, voiceover/dubbing, and language testing or training.

Dependence on a Highly Skilled Workforce

Translation and interpretation agencies and companies rely on highly skilled workers to provide services.

Industry Growth

Globalization and increasing diversity within the US population has boosted demand for translation and interpretation services.


Recent Developments

Sep 8, 2025 - Federal Housing Agency To Offer Informational Material Only in English
  • The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will no longer provide any material in languages other than English, according to The New York Times. The move is part of the department's efforts to carry out President Trump’s executive order making English the country’s official language. Putting the executive order in place will “enhance social and economic integration,” Andrew D. Hughes, the deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, reportedly wrote in a memo to employees. There will still be some instances where other languages may be permitted in HUD services to comply with the law, according to a copy of the memo reviewed by the New York Post. Those include accommodations required under the Americans with Disability Act and the Violence Against Women Act, which have nondiscrimination provisions that may apply to language in some situations. Critics have said the change could make it difficult for non-English speakers, including U.S. citizens, to access government services like affordable housing, health care and registering to vote.
  • Legislation proposed in Wisconsin would allow non-English speaking residents in a county courtroom to receive state-mandated interpretation services from a computer screen or tablet, rather than from a trained interpreter. Supporters of the bill cite increasing cost and demand for courtroom interpreters as a key driver of the proposal. Florencia Russ, CEO of Transcend Translations and a certified translator with the American Translators Association, said that the risks for mistranslations or errors in court proceedings — where individuals may be facing a jail sentence or offering crucial testimony — are far too high to incorporate unproven technology into a system built on the right to due process. The measure also allows an interpreter to provide services via telephone or online link for criminal trials, which currently require in-person interpretation services. Many Wisconsin courts already allow for remote interpretation in other proceedings, such as hearings or civil cases. Counties that prefer to continue using human interpreters would retain the full authority to do so, according to a memo written by the bill's co-authors.
  • The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in real-time interpretation is a recent phenomenon that presents opportunities and challenges for translation and interpretation services, according to customer experience technology firm CX Today. Multilingual support traditionally involved either human interpreters or automated systems that often failed to meet the speed and accuracy required in a high-pressure customer service environment but the rise of AI-driven live interpretation enables understanding and translation of customer speech in real time. AI-driven interpretation also reduces the time needed for back-and-forth communication and removes the risk of misunderstandings that can arise from human translators, according to CX Today.
  • Translation and interpretation service industry employment and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first five months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Translation and interpretation service industry sales are forecast to increase at a 0.31% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.

Industry Revenue

Translation and Interpretation Services


Industry Structure

Industry size & Structure

The average translation and interpretation service provider operates out of a single location, employs fewer than 14 workers, and generates $2.4 million annually.

    • The US translation and interpretation services industry consists of 2,700 firms that employ 37,800 workers and generate about $6.6 billion annually.
    • The global language service provider (LSP) industry is estimated to be worth more than $58 billion, according to the Business Research Company.
    • The industry is concentrated at the top; the top 50 companies account for 75% of industry revenue.
    • Types of companies include multi-national firms, language technology firms, local agencies and freelance interpreters and translators.
    • Large firms include TransPerfect, Lionbridge, and LanguageLine Solutions (Teleperformance).

                              Industry Forecast

                              Industry Forecast
                              Translation and Interpretation Services Industry Growth
                              Source: Vertical IQ and Inforum

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