Foreign Languages & Linguistics

Types of Degrees Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many foreign languages & linguistics graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	18,886
Basic Certificate	3,377
Master’s Degree	2,957
Associate Degree	2,468
Doctor’s Degree	1,110
Undergraduate Certificate	658
Graduate Certificate	282

What Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to foreign languages & linguistics and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Skills for Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to foreign languages & linguistics:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors

Foreign Languages & Linguistics majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Foreign Languages & Linguistics Major?

People with a foreign languages & linguistics degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
English Language and Literature Professors	9.8%	$66,590
Foreign Language and Literature Professors	11.7%	$67,640
Interpreters and Translators	17.7%	$49,930
Professors	9.4%	$65,660
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	7.5%	$60,320
Transportation Planners	6.7%	$81,340

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages & Linguistics?

This major is dominated by women with about 71% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of foreign languages & linguistics majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1,194
Black or African American	744
Hispanic or Latino	4,638
White	10,210
International Students	687
Other Races/Ethnicities	1,413

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Foreign Languages & Linguistics, too. About 3.6% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Foreign Languages & Linguistics

Some degrees associated with foreign languages & linguistics may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to foreign languages & linguistics have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	2.4%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.2%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	0.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	37.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.2%
Master’s Degree	25.4%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	2.8%
Doctoral Degree	27.1%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.1%

Online Foreign Languages & Linguistics Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	294	20
Certificate (2-4 Years)	22	4
Associate’s Degree	1,012	48
Bachelor’s Degree	260	42
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1,600	34
Post-Master’s	78	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	872	2
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	4	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Foreign Languages & Linguistics

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to foreign languages & linguistics.

Major	Number of Grads
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities	511,953
Social Sciences	190,792
Communication & Journalism	109,432
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences	51,926
English Language & Literature	50,299
History	31,255
Theology & Religious Vocations	26,672
Philosophy & Religious Studies	19,301
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies	15,254

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By John Stephen Dwyer under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.