Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics

Contains Stem Majors

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    Total Degrees​
    Awarded in 2024
    1,385
    declining 6.67%
    Median In-State​
    Public Tuition
    $10,087
    declining 2.18%
    Median Out-of-State​
    Private Tuition
    $58,100
    growing 3.69%
    Average Wage
    $92,603
    growing 3.56%
    People in Workforce
    529,395
    growing 1.39%
    Average Employee Age
    44.1
    growing 0.241%

    About

    In 2024, the locations with the highest concentration of Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics degree recipients are New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and Tallahassee, FL. In 2024, the locations with a relatively high number of Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics degree recipients are Santa Fe, NM, Brookline, MA, and Crawfordsville, IN. The most common degree awarded to students studying Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is a bachelors degree.

    Language & Linguistics

    Institutions

    Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics and the types of students that study this field. Columbia University in the City of New York awards the most degrees in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics in the US, but St. John's College and Washington and Lee University have the highest percentage of degrees awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics.

    Tuition costs for Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics majors are, on average, $10,087 for in-state public colleges, and $58,100 for out of state private colleges.

    The most common sector, by number of institutions, that offers Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics programs are Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above institutions (172 total). The most common sector, by number of degrees awarded, is Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above (785 completions).

    Institutions

    Institution with the Most Degrees Awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics (2024)
    1. Columbia University in the City of New York
      29 degrees awarded
    2. Florida State University
      27 degrees awarded
    3. Villanova University
      25 degrees awarded

    The most common sector, by number of degrees awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, is Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above (785 completions in 2024).

    The following chart shows the share of universities that offer Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics programs, by the total number of completions, colored and grouped by their sector.

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    Tuition Costs for Common Institutions

    $10,087
    Median In-State Public
    $58,100
    Median Out of State Private

    Columbia University in the City of New York has the most Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics degree recipients, with 29 degrees awarded in 2024.

    The following bar chart shows the state tuition for the top 5 institutions with the most degrees awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics.

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    Specialized Colleges

    Highest Concentration Institution
    1. St. John's College
      19.1%
    2. Washington and Lee University
      2.01%
    3. Macalester College
      1.74%

    Out of all institutions that offer Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics programs and have at least 5 graduates in those programs, St. John's College has the highest percentage of degrees awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, with 19.1%.

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    Degrees Awarded by County

    Counties with the Most Degrees Awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics
    1. New York County, NY
      51 degrees awarded
    2. Middlesex County, MA
      48 degrees awarded
    3. Cook County, IL
      38 degrees awarded

    This map shows the counties in the United States colored by the highest number of degrees awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics by year.

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    Employment

    Information on the businesses and industries that employ Language & Linguistics graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.

    The average salary for Language & Linguistics majors is $92,603 and the most common occupations are Elementary & middle school teachers, Postsecondary teachers, and Secondary school teachers.

    The industry that employs the most Language & Linguistics majors is Elementary & secondary schools, though the highest paying industry, by average wage, is Support activities for mining.

    Yearly Income for Common Jobs

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    $92,603
    Average Wage in Workforce
    ± $3,376
    3.56%
    1 Year Growth
    ± 5.01%

    The average salary for Language & Linguistics majors is $92,603 and the most common occupations are Elementary & middle school teachers, Postsecondary teachers, and Secondary school teachers.

    This chart shows the average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Language & Linguistics majors.

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    Highest Paying Locations

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    Highest Paying Pumas
    1. Hidalgo County (North Central)--Edinburg City PUMA, TX
      $304,700
    2. Collin County (Southwest)--Plano City (West) PUMA, TX
      $290,976
    3. Sedgwick (Northeast) & Butler (North & East) Counties--Wichita City (Northeast) PUMA, KS
      $281,206

    This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States colored by the average salary of Language & Linguistics majors.

    Note that the census collects information tied to where people live, not where they work. It is possible that Language & Linguistics majors live and work in the same place, but it is also possible that they live and work in two different places.

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    Most Common

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

    The most common occupations for Language & Linguistics majors, by number of employees, are Elementary & middle school teachers, Postsecondary teachers, and Secondary school teachers.

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    Most Specialized

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

    Compared to other majors, there are an unusually high number of Language & Linguistics majors working as Miscellaneous media & communication workers, Librarians, and Postsecondary teachers.

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    Highest Paid

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

    The highest paid occupations by median income for Language & Linguistics majors are Petroleum, mining & geological engineers, including mining safety engineers, Surgeons, and Molders, shapers, & casters, except metal & plastic.

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    Occupations by Share

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    529,395
    2024 Workforce
    ± 17,833
    1.39%
    1 Year Growth
    ± 4.71%

    The number of Language & Linguistics graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 1.39%, from 522,137 in 2023 to 529,395 in 2024.

    The largest single share of Language & Linguistics graduates go on to work as Elementary & middle school teachers (6.69%). This chart shows the various jobs filled by those with a major in Language & Linguistics by share of the total number of graduates.

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    Most Common

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

    The most common industries that employ Language & Linguistics majors, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools, Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals.

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    Highest Paid

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

    The highest paying industries of Language & Linguistics majors, by average wage, are Support activities for mining, Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, and Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing.

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    Industries by Share

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    529,395
    2024 Workforce
    ± 17,833
    1.39%
    1 Year Growth
    ± 4.71%

    The number of Language & Linguistics graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 1.39%, from 522,137 in 2023 to 529,395 in 2024.

    The industry which employs the most Language & Linguistics graduates by share is Elementary & secondary schools, followed by Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges. This visualization shows the industries that hire those who major in Language & Linguistics.

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    Specialty Locations

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    PUMAS with a relatively high number of Language & Linguistics majors
    1. District of Columbia (West) PUMA, DC
      6.86
    2. Alameda County (North)--Berkeley & Albany Cities PUMA, CA
      5.71
    3. District of Columbia (Northeast) PUMA, DC
      5.65

    This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States where there are a relatively high population of Language & Linguistics majors.

    Note that the census collects information tied to where people live, not where they work. It is possible that Language & Linguistics majors live and work in the same place, but it is also possible that they live and work in two different places.

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    Diversity

    Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Language & Linguistics in the United States.

    The average age of a person in the workforce with a degree in Language & Linguistics is 44.1.

    The most common degree type these workers hold is a Bachelors Degree. Female employees are more likely to hold Language & Linguistics degrees, and White students are the most common race/ethnicty group awarded degrees in Language & Linguistics (1,001 students).

    Workforce Age

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    44.1
    Average Age in 2024
    ± 0.444 Years
    0.241%
    1 Year Change
    ± 1.43%

    This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Language & Linguistics. The most common ages of employees with this major are 35 and 33 years old, which represent 3.22% and 3.14% of the population, respectively.

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    Degrees Awarded

    The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Research Doctorate.

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    Workforce Degrees

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

    The most common degree types held by the working population in Language & Linguistics are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Professional degree.

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    Sex Imbalance for Common Institutions

    Female (56.2%)
    Most Common Sex with a Degree in this Field

    This chart shows the granted degrees by sex at the 5 institutions that graduate the most students in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Degrees Awarded

    Degrees
    Most Common Race or Ethnicity
    1. White
      1,001 degrees awarded in 2024
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      111 degrees awarded in 2024
    3. Asian
      80 degrees awarded in 2024

    This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics for each race & ethnicity.

    In 2024, White students earned the largest share of the degrees with this major.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Sex

    Degrees
    Most Common Race/Ethnicity and Sex Combination
    1. White Female
      478 degrees awarded
    2. White Male
      309 degrees awarded
    3. Hispanic or Latino Female
      51 degrees awarded

    This chart illustrates the differences by sex for each race & ethnicity of Bachelors Degree recipients in Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics.

    White Female students, who earn most of the degrees in this field, are the most common combination of race/ethnicity and sex.

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    Global Diversity

    The closest comparable data for the 4 Digit Course Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.
    Most Common Countries of Origin
    1. Mexico
      10,062 degree recipients
    2. China
      8,394 degree recipients
    3. Korea
      6,992 degree recipients
    High Relative Number of Students
    1. Belgium
      8.5 times more than expected
    2. Spain
      6.71 times more than expected
    3. Algeria
      6.5 times more than expected

    There are a relatively high number of people that were born in Belgium that hold Language & Linguistics degrees (8.5 times more than expected), and the most common country of origin by total numbers for non-US students earning a degree in this field is Mexico (10,062 degree recipients).

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    Skills

    Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics majors need many skills, but most especially Learning Strategies. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics majors need more than the average amount of Instructing, Learning Strategies, and Social Perceptiveness.

    These two visualizations, one a radial chart and one a bar chart, show the same information, a rating of how necessary the following skills are for Classical Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics majors. Toggle between "value" and "RCA" to see the absolute rating of that skill (value) and the revealed comparative advantage (RCA), or how much greater or lesser that skill's rating is than the average. The longer the bar or the closer the line comes to the circumference of the circle, the more important that skill is. The importance of Instructing is very distinctive for majors, but the Learning Strategies, Speaking, and Instructing are the three most important skills for people in the field.

    Radar Distribution

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    Bar Chart

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