Best Linguistics Programs in the South (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Best Linguistics Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 47 Linguistics programs in the South by the median earnings of Linguistics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Duke University leads the list at $88,098, with a cohort of 19 graduates.
Across the 44 programs with a published figure, median earnings range from $88,098 to $17,551, and the median stands at $46,027. For 11 of the listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions dominate the list, accounting for 44 of the 47 programs, or 94%. University of Florida posts the lowest average net price at $6,541, while The University of Texas at Arlington ranks 8th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University · Durham, NC | $88,098 | $29,612 | $735 | 5.7% |
| Duke University reports median earnings of $88,098 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
| 2 | Emory University · Atlanta, GA | $76,993 | $22,585 | $7,363 | 10.7% |
| Emory University admits 11% of applicants and its Linguistics graduates earn a median of $76,993 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Virginia Military Institute · Lexington, VA | $73,971 | $17,113 | $12,697 | 71.3% |
| A public university in Lexington, Virginia Military Institute ranks 3rd on this list with median earnings of $73,971 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Clemson University · Clemson, SC | No published median | $22,253 | $13,607 | 38.3% |
| Clemson University ranks 4th on this list and reports an average net price of $22,253 alongside an admission rate of 38%. | |||||
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $68,263 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $21,500 in federal loans at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where Linguistics graduates earn a median of $68,263 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Texas A&M University-College Station · College Station, TX | $66,241 | $21,315 | $12,784 | 57.4% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station ranks 25th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $66,241 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Georgetown University · Washington, DC | $65,574 | $40,815 | $5,064 | 12.9% |
| Georgetown University posts an average net price of $5,064 for families earning under $30,000, and its Linguistics graduates earn a median of $65,574 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | James Madison University · Harrisonburg, VA | $62,366 | $23,322 | $11,444 | 71.5% |
| With an admission rate of 72%, James Madison University reports median earnings of $62,366 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $60,031 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 41.7% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh reports a median of $60,031 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $6,382 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 10 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $59,742 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
| The University of Texas at Austin ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Linguistics graduates earn a median of $59,742 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $58,931 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
| George Mason University admits 87% of applicants, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $19,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 12 | Appalachian State University · Boone, NC | $55,778 | $16,836 | $9,325 | 90.1% |
| Appalachian State University reports median earnings of $55,778 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,836. | |||||
| 13 | The University of Texas at Dallas · Richardson, TX | $54,985 | $18,267 | $12,814 | 65.1% |
| The University of Texas at Dallas reports median earnings of $54,985 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $18,267. | |||||
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $54,181 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill left with a median of $14,000 in federal loans, and the school admits 15% of applicants. | |||||
| 15 | Georgia Southern University · Statesboro, GA | No published median | $15,267 | $12,162 | 87.9% |
| Georgia Southern University ranks 15th on this list and carries an average net price of $12,162 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 16 | Christopher Newport University · Newport News, VA | $53,564 | $23,015 | $12,461 | 86.0% |
| Christopher Newport University ranks 922nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a cohort of 15 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 17 | University of Mary Washington · Fredericksburg, VA | $53,282 | $20,667 | $10,304 | 79.8% |
| With median earnings of $53,282 four years after completing, University of Mary Washington reports an admission rate of 80%. | |||||
| 18 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $52,703 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville posts median earnings of $52,703 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, drawn from a cohort of 59. | |||||
| 19 | Mississippi State University · Mississippi State, MS | $52,107 | $17,595 | $14,332 | 77.6% |
| An average net price of $14,332 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $52,107 at Mississippi State University. | |||||
| 20 | Stephen F Austin State University · Nacogdoches, TX | $51,494 | $14,260 | $10,318 | 94.0% |
| Stephen F Austin State University ranks 20th on this list and shows a school-wide median federal debt of $23,409 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 21 | University of West Georgia · Carrollton, GA | No published median | $12,786 | $10,339 | 51.6% |
| University of West Georgia ranks 267th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 52% of applicants. | |||||
| 22 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $48,198 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
| Median earnings of $48,198 four years after completing combine with an average net price of $6,541 at University of Florida. | |||||
| 23 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $47,394 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
| With an admission rate of 14%, Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus posts median earnings of $47,394 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL | $46,915 | $8,752 | $3,022 | 66.1% |
| Florida Atlantic University reports an average net price of $3,022 for families earning under $30,000, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $17,236 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 25 | Towson University · Towson, MD | $46,447 | $17,413 | $6,962 | 82.0% |
| Towson University reports median earnings of $46,447 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, with 16 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 26 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $45,607 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Virginia Commonwealth University left with a median of $21,500 in federal loans, and the school admits 93% of applicants. | |||||
| 27 | University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY | $45,148 | $18,851 | $12,182 | 92.9% |
| University of Kentucky ranks 27th on this list and posts an average net price of $18,851 alongside median earnings of $45,148 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 28 | University of South Florida · Tampa, FL | $43,813 | $9,812 | $4,122 | 43.2% |
| With an average net price of $4,122 for families earning under $30,000, University of South Florida ranks 63rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 29 | Middle Tennessee State University · Murfreesboro, TN | $43,666 | $13,359 | $9,289 | 69.1% |
| Middle Tennessee State University reports 37 graduates in the earnings cohort and a median of $43,666 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | East Carolina University · Greenville, NC | $43,012 | $15,739 | $10,046 | 89.2% |
| East Carolina University admits 89% of applicants and shows a school-wide median federal debt of $22,750 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 31 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN | $42,031 | $14,265 | $9,876 | 81.1% |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ranks 393rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $42,031 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | The University of Texas at San Antonio · San Antonio, TX | $41,778 | $10,836 | $7,870 | 86.8% |
| An average net price of $7,870 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $41,778 for Linguistics graduates at The University of Texas at San Antonio four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | University of South Alabama · Mobile, AL | $40,641 | $17,648 | $12,657 | 71.0% |
| University of South Alabama ranks 33rd on this list, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $24,929 in federal loans. | |||||
| 34 | Georgia State University · Atlanta, GA | $40,310 | $15,931 | $13,787 | 55.4% |
| Georgia State University reports median earnings of $40,310 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing and ranks 44th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 35 | The University of Texas at El Paso · El Paso, TX | $39,907 | $9,403 | $7,863 | 99.9% |
| The University of Texas at El Paso admits 100% of applicants and posts an average net price of $9,403 alongside a cohort of 20 graduates. | |||||
| 36 | University of Memphis · Memphis, TN | $39,001 | $12,397 | $10,607 | 72.0% |
| With 42 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of Memphis reports median earnings of $39,001 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 37 | University of Central Arkansas · Conway, AR | $38,631 | $16,511 | $14,656 | 89.5% |
| University of Central Arkansas reports median earnings of $38,631 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,511. | |||||
| 38 | University of North Georgia · Dahlonega, GA | $37,671 | $9,823 | $6,981 | 67.9% |
| An average net price of $6,981 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with an admission rate of 68% at University of North Georgia. | |||||
| 39 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $37,441 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $19,250 in federal loans at University of North Texas, which ranks 41st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 40 | Old Dominion University · Norfolk, VA | $37,208 | $14,638 | $9,739 | 90.4% |
| Old Dominion University ranks 40th on this list, with a Linguistics cohort of 17 graduates in the earnings cohort and median earnings of $37,208 four years after completing. | |||||
| 41 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD | $37,208 | $16,467 | $5,087 | 72.4% |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County carries an average net price of $5,087 for families earning under $30,000 and an admission rate of 72%. | |||||
| 42 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $26,715 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
| An admission rate of 71% and median earnings of $26,715 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing are reported by University of Delaware. | |||||
| 43 | The University of Texas at Arlington · Arlington, TX | $25,194 | $13,951 | $11,893 | 79.9% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank on the page, 8th among nonprofit four-year institutions, and reports median earnings of $25,194 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 44 | Austin Peay State University · Clarksville, TN | $23,649 | $9,735 | $7,588 | 96.4% |
| Austin Peay State University admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $23,649 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 45 | Marshall University · Huntington, WV | $21,508 | $7,502 | $4,648 | 95.7% |
| With an average net price of $7,502, Marshall University reports median earnings of $21,508 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 46 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $21,234 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
| University of Maryland-College Park ranks 71st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries an average net price of $2,962 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 47 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $17,551 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 37.7% |
| Median earnings of $17,551 for its Linguistics graduates four years after completing coincide with an admission rate of 38% at University of Georgia. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Linguistics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the South appear. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Linguistics graduates who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 11 of the 47 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 44 schools with a published figure. Duke University leads Emory University by $11,105, and the spread from Duke University to the lowest-ranked program is $70,547.