Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 258 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$150,583 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
23.5 yrsModeled economic break-even
−58%Modeled 10-year ROI
$56,122Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$56,122Median reported earnings · year 4
$55,981Average reported earnings · year 5
$22,746Median federal debt
37thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
258Reporting programs
225With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,454
- Federal debt
- $25,848
- Reporting programs
- 5
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,333
- Federal debt
- $11,313
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,122
- Federal debt
- $22,746
- Reporting programs
- 258
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- Not available
- Federal debt
- $28,000
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,610
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,548
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$51,157National median$56,12275th percentile$62,016
225 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Vanderbilt University$114,3682Villanova University$94,9643Southern Methodist University$93,7694Cornell University$89,2755George Washington University$88,1146University of Notre Dame$85,6197Syracuse University$84,6548Fordham University$83,9619Colgate University$81,80210Tulane University of Louisiana$79,925Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1124 · 9 crosswalk linksInterpreters and TranslatorsSOC 27-3091 · 9 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 5 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $114,368 | $12,000 | +185% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Villanova UniversityBachelor's Degree | Villanova, PA | $94,964 | $27,000 | +41% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Southern Methodist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, TX | $93,769 | $19,730 | +42% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $89,275 | $15,500 | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $88,114 | Not available | +32% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $85,619 | $19,250 | +41% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $84,654 | $26,137 | +18% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $83,961 | $27,000 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Colgate UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hamilton, NY | $81,802 | $16,900 | +25% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Tulane University of LouisianaBachelor's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $79,925 | $20,500 | +3% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Providence CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $76,956 | Not available | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Bucknell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lewisburg, PA | $76,364 | $24,625 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | College of the Holy CrossBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $76,301 | $26,975 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $75,715 | $11,593 | +31% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Marist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $73,868 | Not available | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Emory UniversityBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $72,399 | $19,500 | +1% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | Occidental CollegeBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $71,779 | Not available | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Elon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Elon, NC | $71,121 | Not available | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Tufts UniversityBachelor's Degree | Medford, MA | $70,767 | $14,935 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Clemson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Clemson, SC | $70,584 | $26,500 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Weber State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ogden, UT | $70,174 | $12,000 | +14% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | Georgetown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $70,025 | $17,500 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Rockhurst UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $69,747 | $19,000 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Loyola University MarylandBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $69,353 | Not available | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Drew UniversityBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $69,293 | $27,000 | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $68,939 | Not available | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $68,496 | $16,261 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaBachelor's Degree | Pomona, CA | $68,077 | Not available | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 29 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $67,904 | $14,050 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | University of Rhode IslandBachelor's Degree | Kingston, RI | $67,384 | $23,975 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of RedlandsBachelor's Degree | Redlands, CA | $67,126 | $27,000 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Binghamton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Vestal, NY | $66,841 | $19,500 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Rutgers University-CamdenBachelor's Degree | Camden, NJ | $66,519 | $22,000 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $66,519 | $22,000 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Rutgers University-NewarkBachelor's Degree | Newark, NJ | $66,519 | $22,000 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | University at AlbanyBachelor's Degree | Albany, NY | $66,414 | $21,681 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $65,765 | $13,000 | +1% | Positive payoff |
| 38 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $65,380 | $19,121 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Wellesley CollegeBachelor's Degree | Wellesley, MA | $65,036 | $10,152 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | University of North Carolina at Chapel HillBachelor's Degree | Chapel Hill, NC | $64,570 | $13,500 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | University of UtahBachelor's Degree | Salt Lake City, UT | $64,568 | Not available | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $64,426 | $17,677 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | University of DelawareBachelor's Degree | Newark, DE | $64,350 | $25,336 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | CUNY Queens CollegeBachelor's Degree | Queens, NY | $64,185 | Not available | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | University of GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Athens, GA | $63,942 | $22,760 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $63,733 | $24,377 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $63,733 | $24,377 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $63,733 | $24,377 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $63,733 | $24,377 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $63,733 | $24,377 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $63,189 | $13,219 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | DePauw UniversityBachelor's Degree | Greencastle, IN | $62,917 | $27,000 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $62,831 | $23,250 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $62,623 | $15,250 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Oklahoma State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Stillwater, OK | $62,404 | Not available | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Loyola Marymount UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $62,024 | $19,500 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Gustavus Adolphus CollegeBachelor's Degree | Saint Peter, MN | $62,016 | Not available | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Washington & Jefferson CollegeBachelor's Degree | Washington, PA | $61,972 | $27,000 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $61,801 | $21,800 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Indiana University-BloomingtonBachelor's Degree | Bloomington, IN | $61,757 | $14,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $61,697 | $23,748 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | University of the PacificBachelor's Degree | Stockton, CA | $61,487 | $23,750 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | University of WyomingBachelor's Degree | Laramie, WY | $61,364 | Not available | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | University of DenverBachelor's Degree | Denver, CO | $61,241 | $21,933 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | Wofford CollegeBachelor's Degree | Spartanburg, SC | $61,200 | $25,269 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | Wake Forest UniversityBachelor's Degree | Winston-Salem, NC | $60,875 | Not available | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $60,797 | $14,171 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | Temple UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $60,672 | $26,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Clark UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $60,649 | Not available | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | University of North DakotaBachelor's Degree | Grand Forks, ND | $60,352 | Not available | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | Dominican UniversityBachelor's Degree | River Forest, IL | $60,311 | $26,246 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | Furman UniversityBachelor's Degree | Greenville, SC | $60,280 | $26,955 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | Amherst CollegeBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $60,212 | Not available | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | William & MaryBachelor's Degree | Williamsburg, VA | $60,177 | $20,500 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $60,001 | $21,000 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | Saint Michael's CollegeBachelor's Degree | Colchester, VT | $59,914 | Not available | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | The University of the SouthBachelor's Degree | Sewanee, TN | $59,821 | Not available | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $59,315 | $28,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | University at BuffaloBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $59,216 | $19,500 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | University of Maryland-College ParkBachelor's Degree | College Park, MD | $59,193 | $22,750 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | Salisbury UniversityBachelor's Degree | Salisbury, MD | $59,193 | Not available | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $59,088 | $20,380 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | Dickinson CollegeBachelor's Degree | Carlisle, PA | $59,045 | $19,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | Harding UniversityBachelor's Degree | Searcy, AR | $58,843 | Not available | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $58,750 | $20,702 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $58,705 | $13,559 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | University of Washington-Tacoma CampusBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $58,705 | $13,559 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $58,697 | $19,241 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $58,565 | $20,250 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | Susquehanna UniversityBachelor's Degree | Selinsgrove, PA | $58,349 | $27,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Smith CollegeBachelor's Degree | Northampton, MA | $58,304 | $19,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Westfield State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Westfield, MA | $58,290 | $27,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $58,235 | $22,746 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | Mercer UniversityBachelor's Degree | Macon, GA | $58,127 | $26,049 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | Utah State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Logan, UT | $57,992 | $20,500 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | South Dakota State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brookings, SD | $57,986 | Not available | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | University of Minnesota-DuluthBachelor's Degree | Duluth, MN | $57,886 | $24,657 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | University of Illinois ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $57,594 | $17,559 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $57,523 | $27,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | CUNY Lehman CollegeBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $57,143 | $8,617 | -37% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.