Best Linguistic institutions in the US, ranked by earnings
Compare 411 U.S. colleges offering Linguistic by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 50 states.
About Linguistic programs
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 language, including syntax, semantics, and phonetics, as well as exploring subdisciplines like biolinguistics and psycholinguistics. Students in this program will engage with various aspects of language, including foreign languages and literatures, applied linguistics, and language interpretation and translation, preparing them for diverse career paths in communication and language services.
In the Linguistic program, students will develop core skills such as speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing. Coursework often includes the study of English and foreign languages, terminology compilation for translations, and ethical practices in language services, equipping students with essential knowledge for effective communication.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Certificate degree | $52,493 | 35 | 75% | $30,225 | $24,250 |
| 2 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,122 | 14 | 80% | — | $18,398 |
| 3 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,923 | 9 | 76% | — | — |
| 4 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,105 | 33 | 68% | — | $21,850 |
| 5 | Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,375 | 5 | 53% | — | $19,495 |
| 6 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,177 | 34 | 61% | — | $20,500 |
| 7 | Ashford University San Diego, CA Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,853 | 3 | 11% | $26,445 | $43,603 |
| 8 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,389 | 68 | 86% | — | $22,500 |
| 9 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,155 | 5 | 45% | — | $29,875 |
| 10 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA Public · Certificate degree | $36,557 | 62 | 85% | — | $25,154 |
| 11 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,561 | 13 | 63% | — | $25,560 |
| 12 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,409 | 52 | 75% | — | $19,286 |
| 13 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,856 | 41 | 54% | — | $21,187 |
| 14 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,279 | 77 | 81% | $13,712 | $11,621 |
| 15 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,099 | 64 | 85% | — | $19,250 |
| 16 | University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,828 | 22 | 47% | — | $12,000 |
| 17 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,756 | 27 | 63% | — | $18,500 |
| 18 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,684 | 26 | 65% | — | $20,916 |
| 19 | University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,521 | 21 | 37% | — | $24,315 |
| 20 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,185 | 44 | 89% | — | $21,892 |
| 21 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,993 | 66 | 76% | — | $23,156 |
| 22 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,713 | 30 | 74% | — | $20,612 |
| 23 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,895 | 98 | 54% | — | $16,833 |
| 24 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,635 | 17 | 63% | — | $26,000 |
| 25 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,524 | 117 | 93% | — | $15,000 |
| 26 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,251 | 44 | 65% | — | $21,715 |
| 27 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,205 | 107 | 91% | — | $19,912 |
| 28 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,830 | 26 | 58% | — | $21,500 |
| 29 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,803 | 45 | 32% | — | $31,023 |
| 30 | Clemson University Clemson, SC Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,560 | 19 | 87% | — | $26,112 |
| 31 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,658 | 61 | 77% | — | $16,500 |
| 32 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,340 | 37 | 85% | — | $18,706 |
| 33 | Georgetown University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,278 | 72 | 95% | $22,242 | $17,500 |
| 34 | University of Southern Maine Portland, ME Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,895 | 16 | 40% | — | $25,437 |
| 35 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,788 | 49 | 88% | — | $20,096 |
| 36 | New Mexico State University - Main Campus Las Cruces, NM Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,720 | 67 | 55% | — | $19,125 |
| 37 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,699 | 28 | 93% | — | $15,124 |
| 38 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,629 | 97 | 83% | — | $14,100 |
| 39 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,449 | 29 | 71% | — | $26,530 |
| 40 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,366 | 25 | 55% | — | — |
| 41 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,284 | 7 | 51% | — | $17,750 |
| 42 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,703 | 28 | 75% | — | $19,125 |
| 43 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,475 | 29 | 50% | — | $16,502 |
| 44 | Binghamton University Vestal, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,353 | 19 | 82% | — | $22,250 |
| 45 | Durham Technical Community College Durham, NC Public · Certificate degree | $26,246 | 73 | 45% | — | — |
| 46 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,921 | 55 | 85% | — | $19,500 |
| 47 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,921 | 23 | 62% | — | $24,500 |
| 48 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · Certificate degree | $25,630 | 15 | 69% | — | $19,500 |
| 49 | Reed College Portland, OR Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,561 | 13 | 71% | $28,272 | $21,250 |
| 50 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,285 | 23 | 49% | — | $25,479 |
Offered across 50 states
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3091, Interpreters and Translators, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Linguistic program can pursue careers in language interpretation, translation, and education, among others. The job outlook for related positions shows a growth rate of 1.7%, with approximately 6,900 annual openings. The median wage for these roles is around $59,440, and a typical education requirement is a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Linguistic programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
- Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
- Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
- Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
- Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
- Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
Tools & technology
Concentrations within Linguistic
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, GeneralCIP 16.0101
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 t
- LinguisticsCIP 16.0102
A program that focuses on language, language development, and relationships among languages and language groups from a humanistic and/or scientific perspective
- Language Interpretation and TranslationCIP 16.0103
A program that prepares individuals to be professional interpreters and/or translators of documents and data files, either from English or (Canadian) French into another language or languages or vice
- Comparative LiteratureCIP 16.0104
A program that focuses on two or more literary traditions in the original languages or in translation
- Applied LinguisticsCIP 16.0105
A program that focuses on language-related concerns in the everyday world, including language education, acquisition of first and additional languages, discourse analysis, language assessment, literac
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, OtherCIP 16.0199
Any instructional program in linguistic, comparative, and related language studies and services not listed above.
Common questions
What is the focus of the Linguistic program?+
The program focuses on the scientific study of language, including syntax, semantics, and phonetics.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
Students will develop skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing.
What are the career prospects after graduation?+
Graduates can expect a growth rate of 1.7% in related careers, with about 6,900 annual job openings.
What is the typical education requirement for careers in this field?+
A Bachelor's degree is typically required for careers related to linguistics.
Related programs
Other programs in the same field of study.
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