Money cannot buy happiness, or can it? Translators’ earnings and salary-related satisfaction

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of translator earnings in Poland based on one of the largest analyses of the Polish translation market. Quantitative data from other surveys were examined and compared to assess mean income levels, income distribution and changes over time. The results show that the translators’ community is very diverse. There are translators who earn well and translators who feel that they are underpaid. Experience, additional specialist education or specialization do not impact rates. Factors that noticeably affect the rates are certification as a sworn translator, form of employment and translated language. The most important discovery is that the level of earnings has a significant impact on translators’ job satisfaction, level of stress, or exhaustion. The demand-supply dynamics of the translation market play a crucial role in determining translator incomes. Factors such as globalization, international trade, immigration trends influence the demand for translation services.