Earnings, income, and rates among language professionals, 2023 Question Title * 1. Are you a full-time language professional? Yes No Question Title * 2. For how many years have you been in the industry? 0 - 2 years 2 - 5 years 5 - 10 years 10 - 15 years 15 - 20 years More than 20 years Question Title * 3. What is your main country of residence? Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Costa Rica Côte D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, South (Republic of Korea) Korea, North (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Türkiye Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (US) Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Question Title * 4. Do you spend part of your year residing in another country? Yes No Question Title * 5. If you spend part of your year residing in another country (or countries), please indicate which, and roughly how many months of the year you spend there. If not, please skip this question. Question Title * 6. Have you moved within the past 5 years? If so, was at least part of the motivation for the move due to seeking a place with a more favorable cost of living? No, I have not moved in the past five years No, I have not moved in the past five years, but I am considering it, though cost of living is not a factor No, I have not moved in the past five years, but I am considering it, and cost of living is a factor Yes, I have moved in the past five years, but cost of living was not a deciding factor Yes, I have moved in the past five years, and cost of living was one factor Yes, I have moved in the past five years, and cost of living was the main or only factor Question Title * 7. What percentage of your income comes from your language services work? Less than 50% 50 - 60% 60 - 70% 70 - 80% 80 - 90% 90 - 99% All of it Question Title * 8. Are you the main (or only) breadwinner in your household? Yes, I am the only breadwinner Yes, I am the main breadwinner No, I contribute around 50 - 60% No, I contribute around 40 - 50% No, I contribute around 30 - 40% No, I contribute less than 30% Question Title * 9. Expressed in USD/EUR, what was your gross income (before taxes) from language services in 2022? Less than 10,000 USD / 9,150 EUR Between 10,000 USD / 9,150 EUR and 20,000 USD / 18,300 EUR Between 20,000 USD / 18,300 EUR and 30,000 USD / 27,450 EUR Between 30,000 USD / 27,450 EUR and 40,000 USD / 36,600 EUR Between 40,000 USD / 36,600 EUR and 50,000 / 45,750 EUR Between 50,000 / 45,750 EUR and 60,000 / 54,900 EUR Between 60,000 / 54,900 EUR and 70,000 USD / 64,000 EUR Between 70,000 USD / 64,000 EUR and 80,000 USD / 73,200 EUR Between 80,000 USD / 73,200 EUR and 90,000 USD / 82,350 EUR Between 90,000 USD / 82,350 EUR and 100,000 USD / 91,500 EUR More than 100,000 USD / 91,500 EUR Question Title * 10. How does your gross income from language services compare to the average income for your (main) country of residence? One comparative of average annual income by country can be seen at https://www.worlddata.info/average-income.php My income is far above the average for my country My income is above the average for my country My income is about average for my country My income is below the average for my country My income is far below the average for my country I don't know Question Title * 11. How do you feel about your annual income from your language services? Select the option that best describes your opinion. It is good, I am able to do everything I want to do It could be better, but I have a decent lifestyle I get by I need to supplement my income in order to do certain things I want to do I am unable to make a living with my income Question Title * 12. Are you regularly able to put some of your earnings aside into savings? Yes Often but not regularly No, only occasionally No, not at all Question Title * 13. When was the last time you adjusted your rates? In 2023 (this year) I adjusted them selectively In 2023 (this year) I adjusted them across the board During 2022 I adjusted them selectively During 2022 I adjusted them across the board During 2021 I adjusted them selectively During 2021 I adjusted them across the board During 2020 I adjusted them selectively During 2020 I adjusted them across the board Before 2020 (i.e. it's been more than three years) Question Title * 14. If you provide translation services, please indicate your average/general rates for translation (per word): Less than 0.044 USD / 0.04 EUR per word 0.044 USD / 0.04 EUR per word 0.055 USD / 0.05 EUR per word 0.065 USD / 0.06 EUR per word 0.076 USD / 0.07 EUR per word 0.087 USD / 0.08 EUR per word 0.098 USD / 0.09 EUR per word 0.11 USD / 0.10 EUR per word 0.12 USD / 0.11 EUR per word 0.13 USD / 0.12 EUR per word 0.14 USD / 0.13 EUR per word 0.15 USD / 0.14 EUR per word 0.16 USD / 0.15 EUR per word 0.17 USD / 0.16 EUR per word 0.18 - 0.19 USD / 0.17 EUR per word 0.20 USD / 0.18 EUR per word 0.21 USD / 0.19 EUR per word 0.22 USD / 0.20 EUR per word 0.23 USD / 0.21 EUR per word 0.24 USD / 0.22 EUR per word 0.25 USD / 0.23 EUR per word 0.26 USD / 0.24 EUR per word 0.27 USD / 0.25 EUR per word More than 0.27 USD / 0.25 EUR per word N/A I don't offer this service Question Title * 15. If you provide post-editing of machine translation (PEMT) services, please indicate your average/general rates for that service (per word): Less than 0.044 USD / 0.04 EUR per word 0.044 USD / 0.04 EUR per word 0.055 USD / 0.05 EUR per word 0.065 USD / 0.06 EUR per word 0.076 USD / 0.07 EUR per word 0.087 USD / 0.08 EUR per word 0.098 USD / 0.09 EUR per word 0.11 USD / 0.10 EUR per word 0.12 USD / 0.11 EUR per word 0.13 USD / 0.12 EUR per word 0.14 USD / 0.13 EUR per word 0.15 USD / 0.14 EUR per word 0.16 USD / 0.15 EUR per word 0.17 USD / 0.16 EUR per word 0.18 - 0.19 USD / 0.17 EUR per word 0.20 USD / 0.18 EUR per word 0.21 USD / 0.19 EUR per word 0.22 USD / 0.20 EUR per word 0.23 USD / 0.21 EUR per word 0.24 USD / 0.22 EUR per word 0.25 USD / 0.23 EUR per word 0.26 USD / 0.24 EUR per word 0.27 USD / 0.25 EUR per word More than 0.27 USD / 0.25 EUR per word N/A I don't offer this service Question Title * 16. If you provide interpreting services, please indicate your average/general rate for interpreting (per hour). Choose the rate which is closest to what you charge: Less than 5 USD / 4.58 EUR per hour 5 - 10 USD / 4.58 - 9.15 EUR per hour 10 - 20 USD / 9.15 EUR - 18.30 EUR per hour 20 -25 USD / 18.30 - 22.88 EUR per hour 25 - 30 USD / 22.88 - 27.45 EUR per hour 30 - 35 USD / 27.45 - 32 EUR per hour 35 - 40 USD / 32 - 36.60 EUR per hour 40 - 45 USD / 36.60 - 41.18 EUR per hour 45 - 50 USD / 41.18 - 45.75 EUR per hour 50 - 55 USD / 45.75 EUR - 50.33 EUR per hour 55 - 60 USD / 50.33 - 54.90 EUR per hour More than 60 USD / 54.90 EUR per hour N/A I don't offer this service Question Title * 17. In general, do you have policies which affect how much you charge for a job? Select all that apply: Minimum charge Surcharge for rush or weekend jobs Surcharge for complexity Surcharge for formatting or source document issues Discounts for volume Discounts for repetitions Discounts for "easy"/quick jobs Discounts for first-time clients Other (please specify) Question Title * 18. In general, how do you tend to handle rates with new clients? I use the opportunity to quote my higher/adjusted rates I offer a discount to "seal the deal" I offer my standard rates Other (please specify) Question Title * 19. Do you ever feel pressured to offer lower rates than what you would like to in order to win new clients? No Yes, occasionally Yes, often Question Title * 20. Where are most of your clients based? Most or all of my clients are based in the country where I reside Most or all of my clients are based outside of the country where I reside It's about 50-50 I don't know Question Title * 21. On average, how many hours do you tend to work per day? If you do other professional activity outside of language services, please report only the hours you spend doing language service (or related) work. Fewer than 4 hours 4 hours 5 hours 6 hours 7 hours 8 hours 9 hours More than 9 hours Question Title * 22. So far in 2023, are you on track to earn as much as, or more than, you did in 2022? Yes, about the same amount Yes, more than last year No I don't know Question Title * 23. What do you expect your total gross income (before taxes) from language services will be in 2023? Less than 10,000 USD / 9,150 EUR Between 10,000 USD / 9,150 EUR and 20,000 USD / 18,300 EUR Between 20,000 USD / 18,300 EUR and 30,000 USD / 27,450 EUR Between 30,000 USD / 27,450 EUR and 40,000 USD / 36,600 EUR Between 40,000 USD / 36,600 EUR and 50,000 / 45,750 EUR Between 50,000 / 45,750 EUR and 60,000 / 54,900 EUR Between 60,000 / 54,900 EUR and 70,000 USD / 64,000 EUR Between 70,000 USD / 64,000 EUR and 80,000 USD / 73,200 EUR Between 80,000 USD / 73,200 EUR and 90,000 USD / 82,350 EUR Between 90,000 USD / 82,350 EUR and 100,000 USD / 91,500 EUR More than 100,000 USD / 91,500 EUR Question Title * 24. If you are seeing an increase or decrease in your income for the year, please comment on what you see as the main factors for the increase or decrease. Are they factors under your control (e.g., you decided to work more or less, you got new clients or let some clients go, etc.), or factors outside of your control (inflation, additional taxation or tax benefits, etc.)? Question Title * 25. Has your language services income played a role recently in decision-making about your career? Not really Yes, it is a main factor in my decision to continue working in language services Yes, it is a main factor in my decision to look for work in another industry Yes, it is a main factor in my decision to... (please specify) Question Title * 26. Thank you for taking the time to answer this survey! Please feel free to add any additional comments you feel are relevant here. Done