Best institutions to study Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
A program that focuses on the languages native to Papua/New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and the island groups of the Pacific Ocean, including, but not limited to, the Papuan languages, the Australian languages, the Micronesian languages, and the Polynesian languages.
1 U.S. institutions graduated 1 Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 16.1401, a specialization of Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages (CIP 16.14), and leads most directly to the Interpreters and Translators occupation (BLS SOC 27-3091).
About Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs
A program that focuses on the languages native to Papua/New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and the island groups of the Pacific Ocean, including, but not limited to, the Papuan languages, the Australian languages, the Micronesian languages, and the Polynesian languages. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages program, officially titled Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, focuses on the languages native to Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. This program is designed for students interested in exploring the rich linguistic diversity and cultural heritage of these regions, providing an in-depth understanding of their languages and literatures.
Students will gain essential skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing. Coursework includes instruction in philology, linguistics, dialects, and pidgins, as well as applications of language in various fields such as business and technology.
Credentials awarded
What Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years1 graduates / yr · 1 institution100%
Graduates over time
Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Top 1 institutions for Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Marshall Islands Majuro, MHPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 1 | 18% | — |
Offered in 1 states & territories
Where Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates come from. Each state links to all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall Islands | 1 | 1 | College of the Marshall Islands1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3091, Interpreters and Translators, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as interpreters and translators, with an outlook of 1.7% growth and approximately 6,900 annual openings in the field. The median wage for interpreters and translators is $59,440, typically requiring a bachelor's degree for entry-level positions.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 16.1401
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 |
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 Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 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 Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages specializations
The 10 other 6-digit CIP codes under Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages (CIP 16.14).
- Filipino/CIP 16.1404
Tagalog Language and Literature limited data13 graduates / yr1 institutions - Hawaiian Language and LiteratureCIP 16.1409limited data12 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Vietnamese Language and LiteratureCIP 16.1408limited data8 graduates / yr1 institutions
- Southeast Asian and Australasian/CIP 16.1499
Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics limited data5 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 6 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Southeast Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics16.1400
- Indonesian/
Malay Languages and Literatures16.1402 - Burmese Language and Literature16.1403
- Khmer/
Cambodian Language and Literature16.1405 - Lao Language and Literature16.1406
- Thai Language and Literature16.1407
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages programs →
Common questions
What languages will I study in this program?+
You will study languages native to Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and various Pacific Islands.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and critical thinking.
What career options are available after graduation?+
You can work as an interpreter or translator, or as a foreign language and literature teacher.
What is the job outlook for interpreters and translators?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with a growth rate of 1.7% and 6,900 annual job openings.
What is the CIP code for Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics?+
Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics is CIP 16.1401 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages (CIP 16.14). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the languages native to Papua/New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and the island groups of the Pacific Ocean, including, but not limited to, the Papuan languages, the Australian languages, the Micronesian languages, and the Polynesian languages. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
How many institutions offer Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs?+
1 U.S. institutions reported Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 1 states & territories, awarding 1 credentials in the year. That is 2.6% of all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages graduates.
How much do Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Interpreters and Translators occupation, which Australian/Oceanic/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics most directly leads to, pays a median of $60,170 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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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