Cost of ASL Translations: Understanding Key Pricing Factors

ASL stands for American Sign Language. After English and Spanish, it is the third most commonly used language in the US.

Whether your business has a current need to communicate in ASL, you should be ready for it.

Being able to supply everyone with the same information, regardless of their physical circumstances, is often a legal obligation. And, if not legal, it should be a moral one.

At LinguaLinx, as a Language Services Provider (LSP), we help our clients prepare for interactions with people who are deaf, or hard of hearing.

It can be challenging for our clients to put plans in place by themselves, which is why we’d always advise you to engage a LSP that’s a good fit with your business.

Of course, one of the first considerations for businesses is “what’s it going to cost?” Good question. The answer is made up of multiple factors.

In this article, we’ll look at those factors so you know what influences the cost of ASL interpretation.

The ASL Cost Equation

As you can imagine, the variables are many. Knowing what they are means you can work out your cost equation and come up with an answer.

These are the top things your LSP will ask you in order for them to give you an accurate quote:

How quickly do you need it?

Is there time to put a proper plan in place, or do you need it first thing tomorrow morning? Or does it require an ASL interpreter to be available out of business hours? The more the rush, usually the more the cost.

Where’s it going to take place?

Is it at your offices in the middle of a large city, where interpreters are much more readily available, or does the interpretation need to take place in a Tibetan village halfway up a mountain?

The more remote the location, usually the more the cost, especially if it has to be done face to face, which brings us to…

Will it require all parties to be present?

Does everyone have to be in the same room? Is it even possible within the timescales? Or can Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) be used?

If everyone does need to be present, and this can sometimes happen for legal or other reasons, there may well be charges for travel time and other necessary expenses.

What language(s) are we dealing with?

Is this job just a sign language to English interpretation or are there other languages involved? The rarer the language, the more interpreters tend to cost because they’re in short supply.

And some languages, such as Arabic, are more expensive than others even though they’re widely spoken, because of the limited number of qualified Arabic translators (and the fact that the language has over 12 million distinct words).

What industry are we talking about?

Preferably, you want an ASL interpreter who has experience in your industry. Each industry has its own jargon, acronyms and terminology.

Finance, tech, legal, retail…they’re all very different which is why certain industries are more expensive to interpret than others. Again, it comes down to the amount of qualified ASL interpreters with experience in the field.

How long will the meeting be?

One hour? Two hours? Eight hours? Is it a conference taking place over a whole week where the ASL interpreter will need to be present for large periods of every day?

Naturally, the more time the interpreter is needed, the higher the cost.

How many times will you need ASL interpretation services?

Is it a one-off? Will you need ASL interpretation every day for a week? Is it for monthly board meetings? Or are you in the medical or insurance industry and you require a service where an interpreter is on call 24/7?

Some LSPs will give you better rates for the more volume you do, as they can then negotiate better deals with their linguists. Regular work, in a set schedule, is always a more attractive prospect and can make the budget more attractive too.

So, How Much Do ASL Services Cost?

We don’t like to shy away from real information that you can take away and use.

So, bearing all of the above in mind, the range for ASL interpretation is usually between $75 and $125 per hour.

Some LSPs have a minimum charge, for example three hours, and will then drop to the hourly rate. And don’t forget the usual expenses – travel, accommodation, subsistence – where applicable.

How to Get an Accurate Quote Every Time

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge you need to brief an LSP…brief an LSP. They’ll make sure all the details are in place and everything goes smoothly. Each project will have its own subtleties and nuances, and chances are your LSP has seen these and can navigate you through them.

They’ll consider the languages, the location, the timescales, the industry, the length of interpretation time needed and put everything in place to ensure you’re able to communicate effectively with everyone.

Get a Quote for Your ASL Interpretation Needs