5 Highest Paying Careers with a Bachelor’s Degree in ASL
- College Interpreters
- Medical Assistants
- Government Interpreters
- Freelance Interpreters
- Mental Health Professionals
The number of individuals with a Bachelor’s in Sign Language Interpretation is growing. The career outlooks for this field also continue to improve. People can now choose between a lot more alternatives than they could have done a few years ago. So, what are some of the highest-paying jobs for American Sign Language (ASL) professionals?
1. College Interpreters
Becoming an ASL college interpreter is a common career choice that many individuals who graduate with the aforementioned degree take. This role gives them an outstanding opportunity to pursue continuous learning accompanied by financial perks for advanced programs. Also, institutions of higher education are known for decent salaries and great job security. Not to mention significant incentive-based compensation for those who can attain tenure and secure their ASL position.
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2. Medical Assistants
People who have a Bachelor’s in Sign Language Interpretation and enjoy working with younger generations can go into the medical field to work as:
- audiologists
- childcare providers
- child development counselors
These roles may require an extra class or two alongside some on-the-job training. But having the ASL degree will at least make you eligible to enter the market. From that point on, you can choose the type of patients and conditions you want to work. At the same time you can leverage your knowledge and skills related to the ASL.
3. Government Interpreters
The previous two alternatives have some pretty good perks when it comes to non-cash compensation. But they are nowhere near the benefits offered through governmental employment. Working for any level of the government is the best way to secure life-long perks that are fully secured. As far as the ASL roles, they are mostly related to a wide variety of interpreting positions. In fact, according to the Central Intelligence Agency, there are current openings for ASL experts who want to explore full-time employment with the agency. Some common duties involve interpreting in real-time during meetings or drafting interpretation reports for events that might have been captured on camera.
4. Freelance Interpreters
When you earn a Bachelor’s in Sign Language Interpretation, freelancing is one of the most popular career choices. It has unparalleled flexibility and decision-making power. People who choose to take this route will be able to build their projects and have complete autonomy of where their carer will go. Maybe you don’t want to settle or any single field that may not cover all of your interest areas. Freelancers can do anything from education-based interpreting to high-level, government-based ASL consulting.
5. Mental Health Professionals
Although it sounds relatively similar, mental health professionals who have a degree in ASL will not handle the same duties as those who pursue the medical field. The reason is that the mental health sphere is a sub-sector of the entire medical profession. As such, it prioritizes behavioral health, not general medicine. Individuals working here will be helping those who are struggling with a wide variety of personality disorders or shortcomings that might have been caused by ASL problems. One might have to undergo some further training while maintaining outstanding ASL skills.
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Other careers in this field worthy of mention include video-based consulting that would probably fall under the freelance category as well as television interpreters. Those roles, however, are not as common for people who carry a Bachelor’s in Sign Language Interpretation. They require some advanced degrees or concurrent certifications.
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