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Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California

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2023 Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California

167 Colleges
$28,024 Avg Salary
$15,723 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics School for You

Foreign Languages & Linguistics is the #22 most popular major in California with 5,369 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.

Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 167 schools in California to see which ones were the most popular programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Foreign Languages & Linguistics program at each school on the list.

Check out the foreign languages and linguistics programs at these schools if you want to attend one of the most popular in California.

Our 2023 rankings named University of California - Los Angeles the most popular school in California for foreign languages and linguistics students. UCLA is a very large public school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

On average, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from UCLA take out $14,463 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $230.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - Los Angeles

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public school located in the city of Berkeley.

While working on their degree, foreign languages and linguistics majors at UC Berkeley accumulate an average of around $11,574 in student debt.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - Berkeley Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Barbara. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. UCSB is a very large public school located in the suburb of Santa Barbara.

After completing their degree, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from UCSB carry an average student debt load of $16,751.

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The excellent programs at University of California - Davis helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best foreign languages and linguistics schools in California. UC Davis is a very large public school located in the small suburb of Davis.

On average, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from UC Davis take out $14,075 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $222.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - Davis

The excellent programs at University of California - Santa Cruz helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best foreign languages and linguistics schools in California. Located in the city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public college with a fairly large student population.

On average, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from UC Santa Cruz take out $17,548 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $269.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - Santa Cruz Report

California State University - Long Beach ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. CSULB is a very large public school located in the large city of Long Beach.

While working on their degree, foreign languages and linguistics majors at CSULB accumulate an average of around $12,079 in student debt.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at California State University - Long Beach Report

#7

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA

With a ranking of #7, San Diego State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. Located in the large city of San Diego, SDSU is a public college with a very large student population.

While working on their degree, foreign languages and linguistics majors at SDSU accumulate an average of around $15,355 in student debt.

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University of California - Riverside ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. UCR is a very large public school located in the city of Riverside.

After completing their degree, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from UCR carry an average student debt load of $18,367.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - Riverside

#9

Los Angeles City College

Los Angeles, CA

With a ranking of #9, Los Angeles City College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. Los Angeles City College is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at Los Angeles City College Report

With a ranking of #10, University of Southern California did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.

Foreign Languages & Linguistics majors at USC take out an average of $13,125 in student loans while working on their egree.

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#11

Pasadena City College

Pasadena, CA

With a ranking of #11, Pasadena City College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. Located in the midsize city of Pasadena, Pasadena City College is a public school with a fairly large student population.

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#12

American River College

Sacramento, CA

With a ranking of #12, American River College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. American River is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Sacramento.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at American River College Report

#13

Palomar College

San Marcos, CA

Palomar College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. It came in at #13 on the list. Palomar College is a large public school located in the suburb of San Marcos.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at Palomar College Report

#14

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

With a ranking of #14, San Francisco State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. Located in the large city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public school with a fairly large student population.

After completing their degree, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from SFSU carry an average student debt load of $14,917.

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#15

Mt. San Antonio College

Walnut, CA

Mt. San Antonio College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular foreign languages and linguistics programs. Mt. SAC is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Walnut.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at Mt. San Antonio College

California State University - Fullerton ranked #16 on this year’s Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. Cal State Fullerton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fullerton.

After completing their degree, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from Cal State Fullerton carry an average student debt load of $12,050.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at California State University - Fullerton Report

#16

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. It came in at #16 on the list. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at San Jose State University

#18

Southwestern College

Chula Vista, CA

Southwestern College ranked #18 on this year’s Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Chula Vista, SWC Chula Vista is a public school with a large student population.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at Southwestern College

University of California - San Diego did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. It came in at #19 on the list. Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public school with a fairly large student population.

After completing their degree, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from UCSD carry an average student debt load of $17,084.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - San Diego

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Fresno did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. Located in the large city of Fresno, Fresno State is a public college with a fairly large student population.

After completing their degree, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from Fresno State carry an average student debt load of $5,939.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at California State University - Fresno

#21

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield College ranked #21 on this year’s Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California list. Bakersfield College is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Bakersfield.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at Bakersfield College

With a ranking of #22, University of California - Irvine did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. UC Irvine is a very large public school located in the large city of Irvine.

While working on their degree, foreign languages and linguistics majors at UC Irvine accumulate an average of around $10,495 in student debt.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at University of California - Irvine

#23

Diablo Valley College

Pleasant Hill, CA

Diablo Valley College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular foreign languages and linguistics programs. Diablo Valley is a large public school located in the suburb of Pleasant Hill.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at Diablo Valley College

#24

San Joaquin Delta College

Stockton, CA

San Joaquin Delta College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California ranking. Located in the large city of Stockton, Delta is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Full Foreign Languages & Linguistics at San Joaquin Delta College Report

California State University - Northridge did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for foreign languages and linguistics students. It came in at #25 on the list. Located in the large city of Northridge, CSUN is a public college with a very large student population.

On average, foreign languages and linguistics graduates from CSUN take out $14,230 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Foreign Languages & Linguistics at California State University - Northridge

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also popular but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in California award.

Rank College Location
26 City College of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
27 Diversified Vocational College Los Angeles, CA
27 Antelope Valley College Lancaster, CA
29 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
30 Grossmont College El Cajon, CA
31 Sierra College Rocklin, CA
32 Stanford University Stanford, CA
33 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA

Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Most Popular Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 603
Oregon 579
Hawaii 198
Nevada 130
Alaska 34

Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Romance Languages 15,009
Linguistics & Comparative Literature 8,539
American Sign Language 2,724
East Asian Languages 2,293
Classical Languages & Literature 1,428
Germanic Languages 1,425
Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages 607
Middle Eastern Semitic Languages 607
Foreign Language, Literature & Linguistics (Other) 500
Second Language Learning 108
Southeast Asian & Pacific Languages 38
South Asian Languages 24
Native American Languages 16
Celtic Language & Literature 4
African Languages 4
Iranian & Persian Languages 4
Greek Language & Literature 3

Related Major Annual Graduates
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 556,813
Visual & Performing Arts 149,215
English Language & Literature 54,635
Theology & Religious Vocations 27,459
Philosophy & Religious Studies 19,993

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to John Stephen Dwyer.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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