Best colleges for Linguistic in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Santa Barbara and University of California-Berkeley are the top bachelor's Linguistic programs in California by graduate earnings. University of California-Los Angeles leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $30,524, College Scorecard. University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Santa Cruz and University of California-Berkeley award the most Linguistic degrees in California: 183, 169 and 105 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 48 California colleges offer Linguistic and award 1,374 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Linguistic program, formally known as Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, focuses on the scientific study of language. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding the complexities of…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,524 | 183 | 93% | — | $15,000 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,629 | 51 | 83% | — | $14,100 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,059 | 105 | 93% | — | $14,000 |
| 4 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $22,965 | 69 | 86% | — | $16,079 |
| 5 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public · Bachelor's degree | $22,723 | 21 | 70% | — | $15,833 |
| 6 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $22,001 | 23 | 76% | — | $11,000 |
| 7 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,793 | 169 | 75% | — | $17,491 |
| 8 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,501 | 25 | 57% | — | — |
| 9 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public · Bachelor's degree | $20,212 | 33 | 76% | — | $17,283 |
| 10 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $18,393 | 78 | 69% | — | $12,580 |
Colleges awarding the most Linguistic degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 183 | $30,524 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public | 169 | $21,793 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 105 | $25,059 |
| 4 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Monterey Private not-for-profit | 92 | Not reported |
| 5 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 78 | $18,393 |
| 6 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana Public | 70 | Not reported |
| 7 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 69 | $22,965 |
| 8 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 51 | $27,629 |
| 9 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut Public | 36 | Not reported |
| 10 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 33 | $20,212 |
ShowHide the other 38 California colleges offering Linguistic
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Interpreters and Translators (SOC 27-3091).
Top skills
What Interpreters and Translators earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Linguistic programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Linguistic degrees?+
University of California-Los Angeles (183 graduates a year), University of California-Santa Cruz (169 graduates a year) and University of California-Berkeley (105 graduates a year) award the most Linguistic degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 48 California colleges offer Linguistic.
What is the best college for Linguistic in California?+
By graduate earnings, University of California-Los Angeles leads among bachelor's Linguistic programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $30,524, College Scorecard. University of California-Santa Barbara and University of California-Berkeley follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Los Angeles is the largest, with 183 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Linguistic program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of California-Los Angeles tops the list at $30,524. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Interpreters and Translators earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Interpreters and Translators in California is $78,800 (median $70,770), across about 5,560 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Linguistic program?+
The Linguistic program, formally known as Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, focuses on the scientific study of language. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding the complexities of…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, writing, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Interpreters and Translators?+
The national job outlook is about +1.7% growth with around 6,900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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