Portuguese
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Types of Degrees Portuguese Majors Are Earning
Those studying Portuguese have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.
| Award Level | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 43 |
| Master’s Degree | 15 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 6 |
What Portuguese Majors Need to Know
Programs in Portuguese build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Portuguese graduates commonly enter.
Knowledge Areas
Coursework in Portuguese emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
- Foreign Language — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
- English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
- Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
- Administrative — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
- Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*
Skills
Skills developed in a Portuguese program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
- Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
- Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
- Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
- Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
- Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
Abilities
The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Portuguese careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:
- Speech Clarity — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
- Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
- Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
- Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
- Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
Common Job Activities
Day-to-day, Portuguese graduates report doing:
| Activity | Frequency / Importance |
|---|---|
| Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others | 4.2 / 7 |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge | 4.1 / 7 |
| Training and Teaching Others | 4.1 / 7 |
| Thinking Creatively | 4.0 / 7 |
| Getting Information | 3.9 / 7 |
| Working with Computers | 3.9 / 7 |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships | 3.8 / 7 |
| Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work | 3.7 / 7 |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems | 3.7 / 7 |
| Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates | 3.7 / 7 |
Technology Skills Used on the Job
Most frequently-cited tools used by Portuguese professionals:
| Tool / Software | Category | In-Demand |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | ✓ |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software | — |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | — |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | ✓ |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | — |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | ✓ |
| Google Docs | Word processing software | — |
| Computer assisted language learning CALL software | Foreign language software | — |
| DOC Cop | Information retrieval or search software | — |
| Email software | Electronic mail software | — |
| Collaborative editing software | Word processing software | — |
| QuarkXPress | Desktop publishing software | — |
Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*
Sample Job Titles
Real job postings for Portuguese graduates include:
- Chinese Instructor
- University Faculty Member
- Arabic Language Instructor
- German Professor
- Assistant Professor
- College Faculty Member
- Russian Language Professor
- Biblical Languages Professor
- Chinese Teacher
- English for Speakers of Other Languages Teacher (ESOL Teacher)
- Spanish Lecturer
- Italian Teacher
- Hebrew Teacher
- Japanese Professor
- Foreign Language Instructor
Education Typically Required
Across the occupations open to Portuguese graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:
| Education Level | Share of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 44.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 26.8% |
| Master’s degree | 21.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.5% |
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Who Is Earning a Degree in Portuguese?
Gender Distribution
This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 51.6% women and 48.4% men among Portuguese graduates.
| Gender | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 33 | 51.6% |
| Men | 31 | 48.4% |
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Portuguese graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 33 | 51.6% |
| Asian | 1 | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16 | 25.0% |
| Black or African American | 3 | 4.7% |
| Two or More Races | 1 | 1.6% |
| Race Unknown | 2 | 3.1% |
| International Students | 8 | 12.5% |
See minority definition below.
How Much Do Portuguese Graduates Earn?
Federal data tracks median earnings of Portuguese graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $35,134 |
| 4 years | $47,838 |
| 5 years | $56,094 |
By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $56,094 — roughly 60% above the 1-year mark.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Is a Degree in Portuguese Worth It?
Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Portuguese graduates earn a median of $47,838 four years after completion — roughly 26% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).
ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.
Related Programs
You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:
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References
The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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