Salary for a bi-lingual?

[earthmama1]

How much would an average everyday person working an office job get paid for being able to speak english and spanish? Both are very common in the USA. I would think you could get paid more for knowing 2 launguages.

[anna3101]

I have no idea how it is in the USA, but here in Eastern Europe your salary will be a bit better if you speak a foreign language. If you speak several, than you'll for sure have much more money that you would if you only spoke English and Polish. Of course, if the job requires those languages. If not, then you'll have no benefits, financial or otherwise. What's more, some employers will be less likely to hire you if you know "too much", ie speak many languages, graduated from a prestigious university or have two higher educations. I've personally witnessed several occasions when a less experienced and less knowlegeable person was given the job because "the other one will quickly get bored/get a better offer and leave" or because the boss is afraid of competition. That only concerns low to middle level office jobs though. I have no experience with how it is at the top "of the food chain"

[Tyrell]

That depends on where we're talking about. In the US, probably not much, there are millions of people who can speak those languages fluently (most probably even more than you), so yeah no, I don't think it's even a factor in your wage. And if it does make a dent, it still won't be much. If we're talking Asian countries though, then A LOT. Singapore is literally the only country with English as the official language. Most Asians really just speak their native language, and they don't really bother with English. Those who do speak English aren't fluent at it. Meaning if you can speak English there you're a valuable asset, given that you avoid Singapore, Philippines and maybe India. Remember to the currency conversion rate into account though.