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The Market ​

To understand the market size, we flow from the global language services market to the specific sign language services market:

  • The global language services market is valued at US$ 60.68 billion in 2022 and is predicted to reach US$ 96.21 billion by the end of 2032 (CAGR of 5.94%)[1].
    • ⤷ The translation service market is valued at US$ 26.6 billion in 2022[2] and US$ 41.3 billion in 2024 (CAGR of 2.30%)[3].
      • ⤷ The size of the interpreting market in 2019 was estimated at US$ 7.6 billion[4].
        • ⤷ The global sign language interpretation services market size (including both in-person and remote) was valued at approximately US$ 0.7 billion in 2023 and is projected to touch US$ 1.5 billion by 2032 (CAGR of 8.5%)[5]. This is in conflict with the estimated United States market of US$ 1.2 billion[6].

From a more holistic perspective, the entire sign language economy in the U.S. alone is estimated to range between US$ 3 billion and US$ 10 billion annually. This includes diverse services and sectors that support the deaf and signing community.[7]

Economic Impact[8] ​

TIP

All monetary values in this section are originally reported in 2015 international dollars. For 2024 equivalents, a conversion factor of 1.33 is applied.

Hearing loss has a profound economic impact on individuals and society, resulting in substantial costs across multiple domains. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the global annual cost of unaddressed hearing loss was approximately $980 billion in 2015 international dollars, which translates to $1.303 trillion in 2024 values. These costs are distributed as follows:

CategoryDescriptionCost (2015)Cost (2024)
Healthcare SectorHealthcare costs for children and adults due to unaddressed hearing loss, excluding hearing devices.$314 billion$417.62 billion
Educational SectorCosts for educational support for children (ages 5–14) with moderate to severe hearing loss.$27 billion$35.91 billion
Productivity LossLosses from unemployment and early retirement among people with hearing loss.$182.5 billion$242.73 billion
Societal CostsCosts due to social isolation, communication barriers, and stigma, calculated using DALYs.$456.5 billion$607.14 billion
TotalAggregate global cost of unaddressed hearing loss.$980 billion$1.303 trillion

From the report:[8:1][9]

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Implementing H.E.A.R.I.N.G. interventions can significantly benefit countries. Over a 10-year period, this promises a return of nearly US$ 16 for every 1 dollar invested.

Perception and Impact ​

Disabled people face significantly more challenges than non-disabled people in accessing products (41.6% vs. 15.8%) and services (51.5% vs. 25.2%)[10].

National Captioning Institute research[11] found that 66% of viewers of captioned TV are more likely to buy a product that has a captioned commercial; 53% will actively seek out products advertised with captions; and, 35% will switch to brands that use captioned ads.

Examples of companies investing in sign language in recent years:

  • Chase Bank and Starbucks opened a "signing branch" near Gallaudet University and hired Deaf employees
  • Comcast established customer service in ASL (https://aslnow.com/)
  • Proctor Gamble established an internship program with Gallaudet University
  • Recent partnerships with Gallaudet University: Microsoft, Qualcomm, Google, NSA, IDB (Inter-American Development Bank)
  • Zoom, Flipgrid, GoReact are only a few examples of video-based companies which have quickly realized heeding the input of Deaf consumers is key to their business.
  • Apple partnered with Gallaudet University to spotlight schools for the deaf, and deaf-owned businesses (https://gallaudet.edu/signing-ecosystem/)

Market Segments in the United States ​

The sign language services market is segmented into various categories, including: The entire sign language economy in 2022 in the U.S. alone is estimated to range between US$ 3 billion and US$ 10 billion annually.[7:1]

Uncategorized[12] ​

Early intervention = US$ 14.6 million in federal funding aloneCitation Needed, plus 1-2 million per state (50-100 million)Citation Needed = US$ 114.6 million maximum.

Gallaudet University lists 175 Schools & Programs for the Deaf/HH[13]. Schools for the deaf have a US$ 14 million average budgetCitation Needed. Given 74[14] schools (49 residential, 25 day), deaf education is estimated at US$ 1 billion. Adjusted to US$ 80,000 average cost per studentCitation Needed, given 7,189 studentsCitation Needed, it is estimated at US$ 575 million.

There are also three higher education instutions for the deaf[14:1] in the United States that receive funding from the United States Department of Education. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf receive US$ 92.5 million[15], and Gallaudet University receives US$ 165.4 million[16]. An estimated 237,000 deaf students are enrolled in college[17].

Interpreting Services are estimated given a US$ 83,313 average yearly salary[18] times 10,385 certified interpreters[19] gives US$ 865 million. In 2021, they were estimated to be US$ 1.2 billion[6:1].

Transition services to address failures in sign language access in education and other factors are estimated to cost US$ 313.5 million.

  • Postsecondary Education Support: The Postsecondary Education Center for Individuals who are deaf or Hard of Hearing receives US$ 1.3 million to support collaborations with postsecondary institutions, SEAs, LEAs, State VR agencies, VR service providers, and other organizations to meet the educational and vocational needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing[20].
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services: 94,000 clients in the Vocational Rehabilitation System are deaf, which means 7.9% of the total appropriations for vocational rehabilitation services at US$ 3.76 billion is allocated to services in sign language, at US$ 297 million[21].
  • Helen Keller National Center: The Helen Keller Center for Deaf-Blindness received US$ 16 million in funding from the U.S. government in 2021[22], and US$ 19 million in 2023-2025[23].

Sign Language Teaching (to hearing people) ​

Hanover Research estimates that the potential size of the market for online ASL courses in colleges/universities (in terms of revenue from tuition) is projected to US$ 122 million by 2022.[24] Under the assumption that 20% of all ASL instruction will be provided online.

In 2014, online ASL tuition rates range from $271 to $394 per hour. Gallaudet University currently charges $993 for its online ASL courses[25].

ASL classes in K-12 public education are estimated at US$ 37.2 million in 2017[26].

Baby signing classes and materials in 2018, is "at minimum", US$ 25 million[27].

Deaf Education ​

Supporting deaf students in mainstream schools is estimated to be between US$ 10,558 and US$ 20,000 per student in 2004[28]. With 400,000 deaf and hard of hearing students in the U.S. and 7,189 attending deaf schoolsCitation Needed, the cost is estimated to range from US$ 4.15 to 7.86 billion.

Telecommunications Relay Services ​

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spends approximately US$ 1.9 billion per year ($159 million per month[29]) on all relay services. Their public reports do not provide detailed breakdowns by service type. However, the total TRS Fund budget for the 2024-2025 Fund Year is approximately US$ 1.49 billion[30].

ServiceDescriptionAudienceCost (Per Minute)[30:1]
Direct Video Calling (DVC)Direct video calls to sign language-fluent customer service representatives.ASL users; customer service interactionsUndisclosed
Video Relay Service (VRS)Video calls with an interpreter facilitating communication between ASL users and hearing individuals.ASL users$8.06 (small providers); $6.51 (Tier 1); $4.07 (Tier II)
IP RelayVoice calls with text relay operators communicating through a teletypewriter (TTY).Users with hearing or speech disabilities$2.12
Traditional TTY-Based TRSEnables text-based communication using teletypewriter devices over traditional phone lines.Users with hearing or speech disabilities$6.12
Speech-to-Speech Relay Service (STS)Facilitates communication for individuals with speech disabilities via relay operators trained to understand unclear speech.Users with speech disabilities$7.25
Captioned Telephone Service (CTS)Allows individuals with hearing loss to read captions of what the other party says while speaking.Users with hearing loss who can speak$2.78
Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)Video interpreting for on-site or private use, often in hospitals or businesses.ASL users; private settingsNot regulated by the FCC[31]

Looking at the combined revenue of VRS providers, the VRS market alone is estimated at US$ 480 million for 2019[12:1], and US$ 626 million for 2023[32].

For VRI, in the United States, similar estimates of US$ 250 million[12:2] and US$ 1.81 billion worldiwde.

Consumer Products and Services ​

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Citations needed.

Service TypeDescriptionTypical Consumer Price
Video Relay Service (VRS)Allows deaf individuals to communicate via video telephones with hearing individuals in real-time via a sign language interpreter.Subsidized or free through telecommunication programs in many countries.
Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)Provides remote sign language interpretation via video conferencing for healthcare, legal, and educational institutions.$1.50 to $3.00 per minute, or $90 to $180 per hour.
In-Person InterpretingProfessional interpreters for events, medical appointments, court hearings, and educational settings.$50 to $125 per hour (general); $75 to $200 per hour (specialized, e.g., legal/medical).
Real-Time Captioning and Transcription ServicesLive captioning (CART) for events and meetings.$90 to $200 per hour.
Educational ServicesSign language instruction and training programs, including online courses and classroom instruction.$20 to $60 per hour (group classes); $40 to $100 per hour (private lessons); $50 to $300 for one-time online courses.
Media and Content TranslationTranslating video content into sign language, including adding interpreters to videos or creating sign language versions of content.$75 to $200 per hour of video content.
Employment and Workplace ServicesSign language interpreters and communication support for deaf employees; includes training for inclusivity.$75 to $150 per hour (on-site interpreting); $500 to $2000 per workshop or training session.
Public Services and AccessibilityProviding interpreters to make public services like government offices and hospitals accessible to the deaf community.Often subsidized or funded by government programs.
Telecommunications and Customer SupportEnables deaf individuals to communicate with customer service via sign language interpreters over video calls.$1.50 to $3.00 per minute for VRI.

Existing Sign Language Technology Enterprise Deals ​

  • Miami-Dade Innovation Authority's pilot program invested US$ 100,000 in Signapse with the goal of improving airport services.[33]
  • El Al Israel Airlines through Cockpit innovation has partnered with VSL Labs for an undisclosed amount.[34]
  • Belgrade Central Station[35] and Belgrade Airport[36] has partnered with SignAvatar to provide sign language information services.

  1. Fact.MR. 2022. Language Services Market. ↩︎

  2. Slator. 2022. 2022 Language Industry Market Report. ↩︎

  3. Market Research Future. 2024. Translation Service Market. ↩︎

  4. Nimdzi Research. 2019. Current Size of the Interpreting Market. ↩︎

  5. Business Research Insights. 2024. Sign Language Interpretation Services Market Size. ↩︎

  6. Einpresswire. 2021. 1.2 billion ASL interpretation market presents opportunity for consolidation. ↩︎ ↩︎

  7. Gallaudet University. 2022. How Sign Language is Driving a Multi-Billion Dollar Inclusive Economy. ↩︎ ↩︎

  8. World Health Organization. 2021. World Report on Hearing. ↩︎ ↩︎

  9. World Health Organization. 2021. World Report on Hearing, Web Annex B: The Return on Investment From Actions To Prevent and/or Mitigate the Impact of Hearing Loss. ↩︎

  10. Office for National Statistics. 2021. Disabled people’s access to products and services, Great Britain: February to March 2022. ↩︎

  11. National Captioning Institute. 2004. Commercial and Infomercial Captioning. ↩︎

  12. Gallaudet University. 2022. The Sign Language Economy = Numbers and Impact. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  13. Gallaudet University. 2024. Schools & Programs for the Deaf/HH. ↩︎

  14. Wikipedia. 2024. List of schools for the deaf. ↩︎ ↩︎

  15. National Technical Institute for the Deaf. 2024. Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request. ↩︎

  16. Gallaudet University. 2024. Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request. ↩︎

  17. National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. 2023. Undergraduate Enrollment of Deaf Students in the United States (2019-2020). ↩︎

  18. Indeed. 2024. Sign language interpreter salary in United States. ↩︎

  19. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. 2024. Publications. ↩︎

  20. U.S. Department of Education. 2019. Postsecondary Education Support for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. ↩︎

  21. National Deaf Center. 2020. Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Deaf Americans. ↩︎

  22. U.S. Department of Education. 2021. Rehabilitation Services Justification. ↩︎

  23. U.S. Department of Education. 2024. FY2025 Department of Education Budget Summary Final. ↩︎

  24. Hanover Research. 2014. Online American Sign Language Market Study. ↩︎

  25. Gallaudet University. 2023. Fall 2023 Online Courses. ↩︎

  26. American Councils. 2017. National K-12 Foreign Language Enrollment Survey Report. ↩︎

  27. New York Times. 2018. Sign Language Isn't Just for Babies. ↩︎

  28. U.S. Department of Education. 2004. Characteristics of High-Expenditure Students with Disabilities. ↩︎

  29. Federal Communications Commission. 2024. Direct Video Calling Data. ↩︎

  30. Federal Communications Commission. 2024. Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program. ↩︎ ↩︎

  31. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. 2012. VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETING. ↩︎

  32. Multilingual. 2023. Breaking Down Changes to Video Relay Service Industry. ↩︎

  33. Miami-Dade Airport. 2024. Mayor Levine Cava unveils winners of Public Innovation Challenge tasked with elevating the passenger experience at MIA. ↩︎

  34. Tal Meged (CEO of VSL Labs). 2024. LinkedIn Post. ↩︎

  35. Марија Стевановић. 2023. Prokop Dobio Sistem Koji Ne Postoji Nigde U Svetu. ↩︎

  36. EX-YU Aviation News. 2024. Belgrade Airport trials sign language announcements. ↩︎