New York · Romance Languages

Best colleges for Romance Languages in New York

Ranked by graduate earnings

Columbia University, Stony Brook University and Cornell University are the top bachelor's Romance Languages programs in New York by graduate earnings. Columbia University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $54,327, College Scorecard. New York University, Stony Brook University and Columbia University award the most Romance Languages degrees in New York: 52, 34 and 33 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 57 New York colleges offer Romance Languages and award 445 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…

Institutions
57
offering CIP 16.09
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
445
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$41,946
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
19
College Scorecard
Median net price
$25,874
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
67%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Interpreters and Translators
$86,550
BLS OEWS May 2025

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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Columbia University
New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$54,3273396%$15,315$20,250
2Stony Brook University
Stony Brook Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,8213476%—$19,212
3Cornell University
Ithaca Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$33,4192595%$17,613$15,500
4CUNY Hunter College
New York Public · Bachelor's degree
$30,5342457%—$15,523
5Colgate University
Hamilton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$53,541891%$22,903$16,900
6CUNY York College
Jamaica Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$46,882932%——
7Fordham University
Bronx Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$44,073382%$38,931$27,000
8Hamilton College
Clinton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$41,9461491%$20,680$12,200
9Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$40,204583%$25,238—
10Syracuse University
Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$39,8251684%$28,851$26,137

Colleges awarding the most Romance Languages degrees in New York

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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1New York University
New York Private not-for-profit
52Not reported
2Stony Brook University
Stony Brook Public
34$43,821
3Columbia University
New York Private not-for-profit
33$54,327
4Cornell University
Ithaca Private not-for-profit
25$33,419
5CUNY Hunter College
New York Public
24$30,534
6CUNY Lehman College
Bronx Public
16$35,941
7Binghamton University
Vestal Public
16$32,718
8Syracuse University
Syracuse Private not-for-profit
16$39,825
9University at Albany
Albany Public
15$30,810
10Hamilton College
Clinton Private not-for-profit
14$41,946
Show the other 47 New York colleges offering Romance Languages
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
CUNY Graduate School and University Center (Online)New YorkPublic15
University at BuffaloBuffaloPublic14
CUNY Queens CollegeQueensPublic13
United States Military AcademyWest PointPublic11
CUNY City CollegeNew YorkPublic9
CUNY York CollegeJamaicaPublic9
Mercy UniversityDobbs FerryPrivate not-for-profit9
Barnard CollegeNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit8
Colgate UniversityHamiltonPrivate not-for-profit8
State University of New York at New PaltzNew PaltzPublic7
SUNY Old WestburyOld WestburyPublic7
Vassar CollegePoughkeepsiePrivate not-for-profit6
CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklynPublic5
Hobart William Smith CollegesGenevaPrivate not-for-profit5
Hofstra UniversityHempsteadPrivate not-for-profit5
Le Moyne CollegeSyracusePrivate not-for-profit5
Skidmore CollegeSaratoga SpringsPrivate not-for-profit5
College of Staten Island CUNYStaten IslandPublic4
University of RochesterRochesterPrivate not-for-profit4
Union CollegeSchenectadyPrivate not-for-profit4
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew YorkPublic3
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew YorkPublic3
CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island CityPublic3
Fordham UniversityBronxPrivate not-for-profit3
St Lawrence UniversityCantonPrivate not-for-profit3
Marist UniversityPoughkeepsiePrivate not-for-profit2
University of Mount Saint VincentBronxPrivate not-for-profit2
Nazareth UniversityRochesterPrivate not-for-profit2
St Bonaventure UniversitySaint BonaventurePrivate not-for-profit2
St. John's University - New YorkQueensPrivate not-for-profit2
SUNY Buffalo State UniversityBuffaloPublic2
State University of New York at CortlandCortlandPublic2
SUNY College at GeneseoGeneseoPublic2
State University of New York at OswegoOswegoPublic2
SUNY College at PotsdamPotsdamPublic2
Hartwick CollegeOneontaPrivate not-for-profit1
Iona UniversityNew RochellePrivate not-for-profit1
Manhattan UniversityRiverdalePrivate not-for-profit1
Manhattanville UniversityPurchasePrivate not-for-profit1
Mount Saint Mary CollegeNewburghPrivate not-for-profit1
Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochesterPrivate not-for-profit1
St. Francis CollegeBrooklynPrivate not-for-profit1
Siena UniversityLoudonvillePrivate not-for-profit1
SUNY BrockportBrockportPublic1
SUNY at FredoniaFredoniaPublic1
SUNY OneontaOneontaPublic1
State University of New York at PlattsburghPlattsburghPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Interpreters and Translators (SOC 27-3091).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.7%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~6,900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$59,440
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionWritingMonitoringCritical Thinking

What Interpreters and Translators earn in New York

Jobs in New York
3,240
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$86,550
median $84,090
Best-paying metro
$91,110
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Related careers

Interpreters and Translators
$86,550 avg · 3,240 jobs
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
$109,490 avg · 1,520 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Romance Languages programs in New York.

Which New York colleges award the most Romance Languages degrees?+

New York University (52 graduates a year), Stony Brook University (34 graduates a year) and Columbia University (33 graduates a year) award the most Romance Languages degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 57 New York colleges offer Romance Languages.

What is the best college for Romance Languages in New York?+

By graduate earnings, Columbia University leads among bachelor's Romance Languages programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $54,327, College Scorecard. Stony Brook University and Cornell University follow. By degrees awarded, New York University is the largest, with 52 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Romance Languages program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Columbia University tops the list at $54,327. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Interpreters and Translators earn in New York?+

The average annual wage for Interpreters and Translators in New York is $86,550 (median $84,090), across about 3,240 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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