# Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

> A general program that focuses on one or more modern foreign languages that is not specific as to the name of the language(s) studied; that is otherwise undifferentiated; or that introduces students to language studies at the basic/elementary level.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/linguistic-comparative-and-related-language-studies-and-services
- CIP code: 16.01 (Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics)
- Colleges offering it: 376 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 119 | $44,376 | $57,367 | $20,500 |
| Associate's | 84 | not reported | $57,487 | not reported |
| Bachelor's | 376 | $33,785 | $51,171 | $18,884 |
| Master's | 140 | $49,908 | $81,378 | $50,468 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Doctoral | 76 | not reported | $84,478 | not reported |
| First professional | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 56 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Duke University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duke-university-837) | Durham, NC | $88,098 | not reported |
| [Brandeis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brandeis-university-292) | Waltham, MA | $78,746 | not reported |
| [Emory University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Atlanta, GA | $76,993 | not reported |
| [University of California-Berkeley](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Berkeley, CA | $76,724 | $13,756 |
| [Virginia Military Institute](https://www.collegesref.com/college/virginia-military-institute-3132) | Lexington, VA | $73,971 | $22,132 |
| [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university-3134) | Blacksburg, VA | $68,263 | $20,500 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | College Station, TX | $66,241 | not reported |
| [Michigan State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-state-university-1677) | East Lansing, MI | $65,667 | not reported |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Washington, DC | $65,574 | $13,295 |
| [Stony Brook University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/stony-brook-university-suny-2611) | Stony Brook, NY | $64,547 | $18,750 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-scientists-and-related-workers-all-other): $101,110 median pay
- [Transportation Planners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transportation-planners): $101,110 median pay
- [Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/foreign-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $79,350 median pay
- [English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/english-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $78,760 median pay
- [Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/secondary-school-teachers-except-special-and-career-technical-education): $72,040 median pay
- [Interpreters and Translators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/interpreters-and-translators): $60,170 median pay

## More in Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

- [Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/romance-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 841 colleges
- [Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/germanic-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 324 colleges
- [Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/classics-and-classical-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 269 colleges
- [East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/east-asian-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 160 colleges
- [American Sign Language](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/american-sign-language): 138 colleges
- [Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/slavic-baltic-and-albanian-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 136 colleges
- [Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/middle-near-eastern-and-semitic-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 83 colleges
- [Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/foreign-languages-literatures-and-linguistics-other): 45 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/