Best institutions to study French Language and Literature
A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles.
324 U.S. institutions graduated 1,322 French Language and Literature students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 16.0901, a specialization of Romance Languages (CIP 16.09), and leads most directly to the Interpreters and Translators occupation (BLS SOC 27-3091).
About French Language and Literature programs
A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in philology; Metropolitan French; Canadian French; African and Caribbean Creoles; dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The French Language and Literature program, part of the Romance Languages field, focuses on the French language, its dialects, and related creoles. This program is designed for students interested in mastering the French language and exploring its cultural and literary contexts, preparing them for various professional opportunities in a globalized world.
Students in this program will develop core skills such as speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing. Coursework typically includes instruction in philology, Metropolitan French, Canadian French, and African and Caribbean Creoles, as well as applications in business and technology.
Credentials awarded
What French Language and Literature graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree784 graduates / yr · 272 institutions59%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year210 graduates / yr · 31 institutions16%
- Master's degree154 graduates / yr · 45 institutions12%
- Associate's degree83 graduates / yr · 24 institutions6.3%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship66 graduates / yr · 27 institutions5.0%
- Award of less than 12 weeks12 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.9%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years10 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.8%
- Post-master's certificate2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.2%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
Graduates over time
French Language and Literature completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2,924 |
| 2013 | 2,865 |
| 2014 | 2,601 |
| 2015 | 2,433 |
| 2016 | 2,319 |
| 2017 | 2,137 |
| 2018 | 2,015 |
| 2019 | 1,896 |
| 2020 | 1,823 |
| 2021 | 1,717 |
| 2022 | 1,465 |
| 2023 | 1,427 |
| 2024 | 1,335 |
| 2025 | 1,322 |
Top 50 institutions for French Language and Literature, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 71 | 90% | — | $35,720 |
| 2 | Weber State University Ogden, UTPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearBachelor's | 42 | 46% | — | $27,989 |
| 3 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VTPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 34 | 91% | $20,918 | — |
| 4 | Boise State University Boise, IDPublicAward of less than 12 weeksAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearBachelor's | 25 | 60% | — | $36,637 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 23 | 86% | — | $45,050 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster'sDoctoralBachelor's | 19 | 96% | $15,315 | $54,327 |
| 7 | Utah Valley University Orem, UTPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 18 | 45% | — | — |
| 8 | Pasadena City College Pasadena, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 16 | 48% | — | — |
| 9 | Oregon State University Corvallis, ORPublicBachelor's | 16 | 70% | — | $34,510 |
| 10 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 15 | 68% | — | $34,484 |
| 11 | Princeton University Princeton, NJPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralBachelor'sMaster's | 15 | 98% | $13,729 | — |
| 12 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoralBachelor's | 15 | 88% | $29,023 | — |
| 13 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor's | 14 | 68% | — | $42,436 |
| 14 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 14 | 93% | — | $40,818 |
| 15 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearBachelor'sMaster's | 14 | 53% | — | $26,232 |
| 16 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, NDPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearBachelor's | 14 | 60% | — | — |
| 17 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, INPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 13 | 80% | — | $33,307 |
| 18 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 13 | 96% | — | $38,269 |
| 19 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 13 | 85% | — | $34,572 |
| 20 | Yale University New Haven, CTPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoralBachelor's | 12 | 96% | $27,025 | — |
| 21 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicBachelor's | 12 | 90% | — | $33,169 |
| 22 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 12 | 69% | — | — |
| 23 | University of Rhode Island Kingston, RIPublicBachelor's | 12 | 73% | — | $59,220 |
| 24 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoral | 11 | 94% | $14,854 | $47,208 |
| 25 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KSPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 10 | 69% | — | — |
| 26 | Amherst College Amherst, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 94% | $16,081 | $49,322 |
| 27 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 10 | 78% | $36,004 | $63,106 |
| 28 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 84% | $33,246 | $57,858 |
| 29 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 9 | 85% | — | $31,622 |
| 30 | University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NVPublicBachelor's | 9 | 61% | — | $35,591 |
| 31 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 9 | 75% | — | — |
| 32 | Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 9 | 82% | $19,073 | — |
| 33 | Chapman University Orange, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 82% | $42,965 | $36,546 |
| 34 | MiraCosta College Oceanside, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 8 | 41% | — | — |
| 35 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 8 | 89% | — | $39,516 |
| 36 | Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 84% | $26,083 | $26,013 |
| 37 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor's | 8 | 93% | — | $22,803 |
| 38 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicBachelor's | 8 | 81% | — | $35,658 |
| 39 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MOPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 58% | — | — |
| 40 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NEPublicBachelor's | 8 | 67% | — | $38,478 |
| 41 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 67% | — | $33,081 |
| 42 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor's | 8 | 69% | — | $35,208 |
| 43 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 81% | $13,712 | $40,002 |
| 44 | Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Ponce Ponce, PRPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 49% | $13,112 | — |
| 45 | Chabot College Hayward, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 7 | 47% | — | — |
| 46 | Glendale Community College Glendale, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 7 | 37% | — | — |
| 47 | Valdosta State University Valdosta, GAPublicBachelor's | 7 | 42% | — | — |
| 48 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MAPublicMaster'sBachelor's | 7 | 83% | — | — |
| 49 | Wayne State University Detroit, MIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 58% | — | — |
| 50 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJPublicMaster'sBachelor's | 7 | 65% | — | $47,487 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Romance Languages field (CIP 16.09) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 48 states & territories
Where French Language and Literature graduates come from. Each state links to all Romance Languages programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3091, Interpreters and Translators, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the French Language and Literature program can pursue careers as interpreters and translators, secondary school teachers, or postsecondary foreign language instructors. The job outlook shows little or no change, with an annual opening of about 6,900 positions and a median wage of $59,440, typically requiring a bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 16.0901
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Interpreters and Translatorsprimary SOC 27-3091 | $60,170 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~6,900 | Bachelor's degree |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education SOC 25-2031 | $72,040 | -1.6% Decline | ~66,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1124 | $79,350 | -0.2% Little or no change | ~1,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in French Language and Literature programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
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 and technology used
Other Romance Languages specializations
The 8 other 6-digit CIP codes under Romance Languages (CIP 16.09).
- Spanish Language and LiteratureCIP 16.09056,320 graduates / yr761 institutions
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsCIP 16.0908625 graduates / yr31 institutions
- Italian Language and LiteratureCIP 16.0902197 graduates / yr72 institutions
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsCIP 16.0900129 graduates / yr30 institutions
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsCIP 16.099996 graduates / yr11 institutions
- Portuguese Language and LiteratureCIP 16.090463 graduates / yr15 institutions
Show 2 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Romanian Language and Literature16.0906
- Catalan Language and Literature16.0907
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, an Associate's degree, or a shorter award of at least 12 weeks.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 324 colleges offering the French Language and Literature program across the United States.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, writing, and critical thinking.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook for graduates is stable, with an expected growth of 1.7% and approximately 6,900 annual job openings.
What is the CIP code for French Language and Literature?+
French Language and Literature is CIP 16.0901 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Romance Languages (CIP 16.09). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in philology; Metropolitan French; Canadian French; African and Caribbean Creoles; dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
How many institutions offer French Language and Literature programs?+
324 U.S. institutions reported French Language and Literature graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 48 states & territories, awarding 1,322 credentials in the year. That is 15.1% of all Romance Languages graduates.
How much do French Language and Literature graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Interpreters and Translators occupation, which French Language and Literature most directly leads to, pays a median of $60,170 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Romance Languages field report median earnings of $34,572 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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