Best Romance Languages and Literatures Programs by Earnings
Updated
This page ranks 293 Romance Languages and Literatures programs in the United States by the median earnings of Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing. Vanderbilt University leads the list with median earnings of $114,368 four years after completing, followed by Villanova University at $94,964 and Southern Methodist University at $93,769.
The gap between the top two programs is $19,404. Across the list, median earnings range from $114,368 to $10,613, with a median of $51,592.
For 90 of the 293 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 57% of the programs, with 167 public and 126 private nonprofit schools represented. California State University-Los Angeles holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank on the page, ranking 3rd among nonprofit four-year institutions. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $114,368 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
| Vanderbilt University reports median earnings of $114,368 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 59. | |||||
| 2 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $94,964 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 27.0% |
| Villanova University admits 27% of applicants and its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates earn a median of $94,964 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TX | $93,769 | $40,892 | $23,544 | 63.4% |
| Southern Methodist University ranks 3rd on this list, with median earnings of $93,769 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $89,275 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University carries an average net price of $28,690, and its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates earn a median of $89,275 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | George Washington University · Washington, DC | $88,114 | $36,586 | $17,440 | 47.1% |
| George Washington University shows a median of $88,114 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $20,449 for its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 6 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $85,619 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
| University of Notre Dame posts median earnings of $85,619 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 56. | |||||
| 7 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $84,654 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
| Syracuse University ranks 497th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates earn a median of $84,654 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $83,961 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
| Fordham University reports an average net price of $44,338, while its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates earn a median of $83,961 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Colgate University · Hamilton, NY | $81,802 | $28,786 | $6,086 | 13.9% |
| Colgate University admits 14% of applicants, and its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates earn a median of $81,802 four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Tulane University of Louisiana · New Orleans, LA | $79,925 | $39,949 | $16,126 | 14.0% |
| Tulane University of Louisiana ranks 10th on this list, with median earnings of $79,925 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Providence College · Providence, RI | $76,956 | $48,523 | $28,152 | 50.9% |
| Providence College shows a median of $76,956 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $27,000 for its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 12 | Bucknell University · Lewisburg, PA | $76,364 | $40,766 | $20,980 | 28.9% |
| Bucknell University posts median earnings of $76,364 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 25. | |||||
| 13 | College of the Holy Cross · Worcester, MA | $76,301 | $38,782 | $14,343 | 17.6% |
| College of the Holy Cross reports median earnings of $76,301 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $14,343 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 14 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $75,715 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley admits 11% of applicants and ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 15 | Marist University · Poughkeepsie, NY | $73,868 | $41,544 | $26,083 | 56.5% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $25,000 in federal loans at Marist University, which ranks 15th on this list. | |||||
| 16 | Emory University · Atlanta, GA | $72,399 | $22,585 | $7,363 | 10.7% |
| Emory University posts a median of $72,399 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 19 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 17 | Occidental College · Los Angeles, CA | $71,779 | $38,263 | $20,705 | 44.2% |
| With an admission rate of 44%, Occidental College carries an average net price of $38,263. | |||||
| 18 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $71,121 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
| Elon University ranks 18th on this list and shows a school-wide median federal debt of $20,500 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 19 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $70,767 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
| Tufts University reports median earnings of $70,767 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $11,284 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 20 | Clemson University · Clemson, SC | $70,584 | $22,253 | $13,607 | 38.3% |
| Clemson University admits 38% of applicants and ranks 232nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 21 | Georgetown University · Washington, DC | $70,025 | $40,815 | $5,064 | 12.9% |
| Georgetown University reports median earnings of $70,025 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 27 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 22 | Rockhurst University · Kansas City, MO | $69,747 | $25,884 | $22,797 | 69.6% |
| Rockhurst University ranks 22nd on this list and carries an average net price of $25,884. | |||||
| 23 | Loyola University Maryland · Baltimore, MD | $69,353 | $30,574 | $20,549 | 75.5% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans at Loyola University Maryland, which admits 75% of applicants. | |||||
| 24 | Drew University · Madison, NJ | $69,293 | $24,280 | $15,224 | 67.8% |
| Drew University reports median earnings of $69,293 for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $15,224 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 25 | Auburn University · Auburn, AL | $68,939 | $24,323 | $16,681 | 45.9% |
| Auburn University reports $68,939 in median earnings for its Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $24,323. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Romance Languages and Literatures graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 90 of the 293 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 from Vanderbilt University to the bottom of the list spans $103,755, and the gap between Vanderbilt University and Villanova University is $19,404.
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