Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Offered at 1,159 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 111 | $41,987 | $63,696 | $20,500 |
| Associate | 108 | — | $50,117 | — |
| Bachelor's | 713 | $40,871 | $60,206 | $19,500 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 1 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 144 | $64,802 | $67,113 | — |
| Doctoral | 65 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 17 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $41,987, versus $40,871 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Detroit Mercy | MI | — | $67,513 | — |
| 2 | Boise State University | ID | $42,557 | $65,683 | $19,675 |
| 3 | Saint Norbert College | WI | $45,079 | $61,709 | $23,975 |
| 4 | Cabrillo College | CA | — | $43,852 | — |
| 5 | Temple University | PA | $41,418 | — | $26,000 |
| 6 | Michigan State University | MI | $39,982 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weber State University | UT | — | $64,299 | — |
| 2 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | — | $50,117 | — |
| 3 | Austin Community College District | TX | $42,883 | $47,959 | $19,625 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bucknell University | PA | — | $109,090 | — |
| 2 | Duke University | NC | — | $100,970 | — |
| 3 | University of Southern California | CA | $40,253 | $94,821 | $15,770 |
| 4 | Brigham Young University | UT | $41,967 | $90,108 | $13,500 |
| 5 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $68,020 | $88,678 | $19,500 |
| 6 | Villanova University | PA | $47,689 | $87,640 | — |
| 7 | Southern Methodist University | TX | $59,270 | $85,785 | $20,500 |
| 8 | Emory University | GA | $32,585 | $84,872 | — |
| 9 | Clemson University | SC | — | $84,596 | — |
| 10 | Fordham University | NY | $54,318 | $84,532 | — |
| 11 | Marist University | NY | — | $84,313 | — |
| 12 | Amherst College | MA | $46,938 | $80,840 | — |
| 13 | University of Delaware | DE | $35,581 | $79,764 | — |
| 14 | Siena University | NY | — | $78,784 | — |
| 15 | Providence College | RI | — | $78,429 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drexel University | PA | $65,253 | — | $26,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Oregon University | OR | $65,343 | $75,484 | — |
| 2 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | NE | — | $69,457 | — |
| 3 | Rutgers University-Camden | NJ | $64,802 | — | — |
| 4 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $64,802 | — | — |
| 5 | University of North Texas | TX | — | $64,769 | — |
| 6 | Middlebury College | VT | $57,680 | $63,257 | — |
| 7 | San Diego State University | CA | $39,525 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center | NY | — | $105,394 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho State University | ID | $123,712 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do romance languages, literatures, and linguistics graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in romance languages, literatures, and linguistics reports median earnings of $40,871. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
