Education
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $79,350
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Doctoral or professional degree
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Instructing
ProgramsForeign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
American Sign Language
CIP16.16
138 colleges offer American Sign Language. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 138
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $45,131
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,875
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 132
- Associate's
- 138
- Bachelor's
- 52
- Master's
- 7
- Doctoral
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 4
What it covers
About American Sign Language
American Sign Language is part of Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics: instructional programs that focus on foreign languages and literatures, the humanistic and scientific study of linguistics, and the provision of professional interpretation and translation services.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 16.16.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 16.16.
- American Sign Language (ASL)
- Linguistics of ASL and Other Sign Languages
- Sign Language Interpretation and Translation
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 132 | $40,1314 yrs after · 5 colleges | $21,0001 college |
| Associate's | 138 | $41,5244 yrs after · 6 colleges | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 52 | $45,1314 yrs after · 18 colleges | $21,8757 colleges |
| Master's | 7 | $73,2694 yrs after · 2 colleges | $29,6001 college |
| Doctoral | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 4 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where American Sign Language graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 20 graduates
$70,859
debt $18,750
- 2
Beaumont, TX · Public · 20 graduates
$54,319
debt $20,808
- 3
Livonia, MI · Private nonprofit · 10 graduates
$50,382
debt not reported
- 4
Fulton, MO · Private nonprofit · 36 graduates
$49,889
debt $14,000
- 5
Monmouth, OR · Public · 29 graduates
$48,295
debt $21,875
- 6
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates
$45,330
debt $22,000
- 7
Kent, OH · Public · 21 graduates
$42,488
debt $24,593
- 8
Jacksonville, FL · Public · 19 graduates
$39,944
debt not reported
- 9
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
Manchester, NH · Public · 10 graduates
$38,282
debt not reported
- 10
Richmond, KY · Public · 16 graduates
$36,755
debt not reported
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to American Sign Language by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Education
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
- Median pay
- $77,640
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Doctoral or professional degree
Education
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Median pay
- $72,040
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
Arts, design and media
Interpreters and Translators
- Median pay
- $60,170
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
More in Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics841 colleges
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services376 colleges
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics324 colleges
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics269 colleges
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics160 colleges
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics136 colleges
- Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics83 colleges
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other45 colleges
Questions about American Sign Language
How many colleges offer American Sign Language?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report American Sign Language at these degree levels: certificate (132 colleges), associate's (138 colleges), bachelor's (52 colleges), master's (7 colleges), doctoral (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (4 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do American Sign Language graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in American Sign Language earn $45,131 a year four years after finishing, across 18 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do American Sign Language graduates earn the most?
Gallaudet University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in American Sign Language: $70,859 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.