Best colleges for Romance Languages in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Irvine and University of California-Santa Barbara are the top bachelor's Romance Languages programs in California by graduate earnings. University of California-Berkeley leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,818, College Scorecard. University of California-Berkeley, California State University - Fresno and Southwestern College award the most Romance Languages degrees in California: 66, 53 and 51 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 146 California colleges offer Romance Languages and award 1,896 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Romance Languages program, formally known as Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, focuses on the study of languages, literatures, and cultures associated with Romance languages. This program is ideal for students interested…
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-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,818 | 66 | 93% | — | $11,593 |
| 2 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,692 | 24 | 87% | — | $9,500 |
| 3 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,635 | 23 | 83% | — | $16,261 |
| 4 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,117 | 34 | 56% | — | $20,000 |
| 5 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,330 | 50 | 86% | — | $14,171 |
| 6 | California State University - San Marcos San Marcos Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,329 | 34 | 55% | — | $7,500 |
| 7 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,182 | 44 | 76% | — | $14,957 |
| 8 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,966 | 31 | 93% | — | $14,752 |
| 9 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,453 | 28 | 76% | — | $19,000 |
| 10 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,609 | 33 | 69% | — | $10,250 |
Colleges awarding the most Romance Languages 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-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 66 | $40,818 |
| 2 | California State University - Fresno Fresno Public | 53 | $20,070 |
| 3 | Southwestern College Chula Vista Public | 51 | Not reported |
| 4 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 50 | $29,330 |
| 5 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 44 | $28,182 |
| 6 | San Joaquin Delta College Stockton Public | 43 | Not reported |
| 7 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 40 | Not reported |
| 8 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 36 | Not reported |
| 9 | Pasadena City College Pasadena Public | 35 | Not reported |
| 10 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 34 | $34,117 |
ShowHide the other 136 California colleges offering Romance Languages
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 Romance Languages programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Romance Languages degrees?+
University of California-Berkeley (66 graduates a year), California State University - Fresno (53 graduates a year) and Southwestern College (51 graduates a year) award the most Romance Languages degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 146 California colleges offer Romance Languages.
What is the best college for Romance Languages in California?+
By graduate earnings, University of California-Berkeley leads among bachelor's Romance Languages programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,818, College Scorecard. University of California-Irvine and University of California-Santa Barbara follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Berkeley is the largest, with 66 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Romance Languages program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of California-Berkeley tops the list at $40,818. 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 Romance Languages program?+
The Romance Languages program, formally known as Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, focuses on the study of languages, literatures, and cultures associated with Romance languages. This program is ideal for students interested…
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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