# Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

> A general program that focuses on one or more of the Romance languages of Western, Central, and Southern Europe. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/romance-languages-literatures-and-linguistics
- CIP code: 16.09 (Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics)
- Colleges offering it: 841 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 | 161 | $41,987 | $54,453 | $20,500 |
| Associate's | 135 | $42,883 | $49,333 | $9,250 |
| Bachelor's | 841 | $40,497 | $56,046 | $19,125 |
| Master's | 171 | $64,802 | $60,610 | $20,500 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4 | $65,253 | not reported | $26,500 |
| Doctoral | 72 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| First professional | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 49 | $123,712 | 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 |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Vanderbilt University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/vanderbilt-university-3113) | Nashville, TN | $114,368 | not reported |
| [Villanova University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/villanova-university-3127) | Villanova, PA | $94,964 | not reported |
| [Southern Methodist University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-methodist-university-smu-2498) | Dallas, TX | $93,769 | $20,500 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Ithaca, NY | $89,275 | not reported |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Washington, DC | $88,114 | not reported |
| [University of Notre Dame-South Bend](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-notre-dame-south-bend-in-3005) | Notre Dame, IN | $85,619 | $19,500 |
| [Syracuse University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/syracuse-university-2667) | Syracuse, NY | $84,654 | $23,750 |
| [Fordham University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/fordham-university-990) | Bronx, NY | $83,961 | not reported |
| [Colgate University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/colgate-university-601) | Hamilton, NY | $81,802 | not reported |
| [Tulane University of Louisiana](https://www.collegesref.com/college/tulane-university-of-louisiana-2827) | New Orleans, LA | $79,925 | $16,040 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/foreign-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $79,350 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

- [Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/linguistic-comparative-and-related-language-studies-and-services): 376 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/