Foreign languages
What are foreign languages majors?
Foreign language programs (Spanish, Mandarin, French, etc.) help you achieve competency in your target language as well as a general familiarity with the literature of the main countries that speak it. This area of study also includes linguistics, more advanced studies like interpretation and translation as well as the study of languages not specific to a country, such as sign language.
How much do foreign languages majors make?
| Foreign languages majors | Average salarySalary |
|---|---|
| Foreign languages and literature | $66,000 |
| Linguistics, interpretation, and translation | $63,000 |
| Arabic language and literature | No data |
| Chinese language and literature | No data |
| East Asian languages and literature | No data |
| French language and literature | No data |
| German language and literature | No data |
| Italian language and literature | No data |
| Japanese language and literature | No data |
| Russian and Eastern European languages and literature | No data |
Popular foreign languages majors by degrees awarded
On average, around 25,000 students obtain a bachelor's degree or associate degree in all foreign languages fields each year. In 2021, the most popular major within foreign languages was Spanish language and literature with 8,737 students obtaining a bachelor's degree and 1,007 students obtaining an associate degree. The least popular major was Arabic language and literature with 242 students obtaining a bachelor's degree and 33 students obtaining an associate degree. Overall, foreign languages is a relatively popular area of study.
