Foreign Languages, Literatures, And LinguisticsSpecialization of Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages

Best institutions to study Vietnamese Language and Literature

CIP 16.1408

A program that focuses on the Vietnamese language.

1 U.S. institutions graduated 8 Vietnamese Language and Literature students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 16.1408, 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).

Institutions
1
offering CIP 16.1408
States offered
1
with graduates reported
Graduates / yr
8
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Women
50%
share of graduates
US median pay · Interpreters and Translators
$60,170
BLS OEWS May 2025
Share of Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages
21%
of all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages graduates

About Vietnamese Language and Literature programs

Official NCES definition · CIP 16.1408
A program that focuses on the Vietnamese language. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).

The Vietnamese Language and Literature program focuses on the Vietnamese language, offering students a comprehensive understanding of its philology, dialects, and literature. This program is part of the Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages field, making it an excellent choice for those interested in exploring the linguistic and cultural aspects of Vietnam.

What you'll learn

Students in this program will develop essential skills such as speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing. Coursework may also include critical thinking and learning strategies, preparing graduates for various professional applications in business, science, and technology.

Credentials awarded

What Vietnamese Language and Literature graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).

  • Associate's degree8 graduates / yr · 1 institution
    100%

Graduates over time

Vietnamese Language and Literature completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.

8graduates in 2025
+700% since 2012
2012202518
Graduates per year (IPEDS completions)
YearGraduates
20121
20130
20141
20150
20160
20170
20181
20192
20202
20212
20223
20236
20240
20258

Top 1 institutions for Vietnamese Language and Literature, ranked by graduates

Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.

#InstitutionGraduates / yrGrad rateNet price
1Golden West College
Huntington Beach, CAPublicAssociate's
849%—

Offered in 1 states

Where Vietnamese Language and Literature graduates come from. Each state links to all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages programs offered there.

StateInstitutionsGraduates / yrTop institution by graduates
California18Golden West College8 / yr

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3091, Interpreters and Translators, and its national outlook.

Graduates of the Vietnamese Language and Literature program can pursue careers as interpreters and translators, with a median wage of $59,440. The job outlook indicates little or no change, with an estimated 6,900 annual openings, typically requiring a bachelor's degree for advancement.

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
National employment
52,060
Interpreters and Translators
US average pay
$66,360
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$60,170
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$93,650avg
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$93,460avg
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$92,880avg
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$91,110avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$90,940avg

Career pathways for CIP 16.1408

The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.

OccupationUS median payGrowthOpenings / yrTypical entry education
Interpreters and Translatorsprimary
SOC 27-3091
$60,170+1.7%
Little or no change
~6,900Bachelor's degree
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1124
$79,350-0.2%
Little or no change
~1,900Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation needed

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

Interpreters and Translators
$66,360 avg · 52,060 jobs
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
$89,990 avg · 19,830 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Vietnamese Language and Literature programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Speaking
Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

English Language
Foreign Language
Customer and Personal Service
Education and Training
Administrative
Public Safety and Security

Abilities that matter most

Oral Expression
Oral Comprehension
Written Comprehension
Written Expression
Speech Recognition
Speech Clarity

Day-to-day work activities

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Getting Information

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

AceTools.biz Ace TranslatorAdapt ItAmoK TranslatorAshkon Translation PadBabylon Online TranslatorDocTranslateElectronic dictionariesExcelTrans Translator

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).

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 degree do I earn from this program?+

You will earn an Associate's degree.

How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+

Currently, there is one college offering this program.

What skills will I develop?+

You will develop skills in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and critical thinking.

What careers can I pursue after graduation?+

You can work as an interpreter or translator, among other roles.

What is the CIP code for Vietnamese Language and Literature?+

Vietnamese Language and Literature is CIP 16.1408 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 Vietnamese language. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

How many institutions offer Vietnamese Language and Literature programs?+

1 U.S. institutions reported Vietnamese Language and Literature graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 1 states, awarding 8 credentials in the year. That is 20.5% of all Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages graduates.

How much do Vietnamese 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 Vietnamese Language and Literature most directly leads to, pays a median of $60,170 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages by stateCalifornia

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.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.

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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