Romance Languages graduates earn $55,000 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $38,411 and $73,324. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Romance Languages as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Languages and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Romance Languages is a focused area of study within Languages. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $55,000 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 1,009 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 13,043 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$34,510
Median Earnings · 4yr
$55,000
Colleges Offering
1,009
Graduates / Year
13,043
Avg Net Price / yr
$19,295
How Much Do Romance Languages Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Romance Languages, a typical graduate earns $55,000, near the national median for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $38,411 and $73,324, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $34,510 at one year out to $55,000 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$55,000
4-Year National Median
Near the national median for college graduates.
$56,122
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Romance Languages graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.
$38,41125th pct.
$55,000Median
$73,32475th pct.
A Solid Financial Return
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $55,000 and an estimated $77,180 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.1 years.
Based on outcomes from 877 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 13,043 students who complete Romance Languages programs each year, the majority (79%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
79%
Bachelor's79%
Master's8%
Associate's8%
What Can You Do With a Romance Languages Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Romance Languages graduates show up in 3 different occupations, and Foreign Language and Literature Teachers pay the most at $79,350/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
Top Colleges for Romance Languages
Not sure where to study Romance Languages? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Romance Languages graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Languages Programs
Romance Languages is not the only path through Languages: 10 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Romance Languages program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Romance Languages shows 4 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Above-average earningsFour-year median of $55,000 puts graduates ahead of many humanities and social science programs.
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $34,510 at graduation to $55,000 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 71,100 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availabilityOffered at 1,009 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Declining roles in some areas1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
High earnings varianceGap between 25th ($38,411) and 75th ($73,324) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.
Romance Languages Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Romance Languages graduates earn?
$55,000 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $38,411 and $73,324, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Romance Languages degree?
$34,510 in the first year out. That grows to $55,000 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Romance Languages degree?
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $79,350 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Romance Languages program take?
Four years of full-time study for a Romance Languages bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Romance Languages?
1,009 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Romance Languages degree worth it?
$55,000 median earnings four years out against $19,295 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Romance Languages and Languages?
Romance Languages is the narrower of the two: Languages covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Romance Languages-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Romance Languages graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Romance Languages graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Romance Languages graduates?
Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average +0.7% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Interpreters and Translators are among the strongest-growth roles at +2.0%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Languages Programs
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