Romance Languages
A general program that focuses on one or more of the Romance languages of Western, Central, and Southern Europe. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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Types of Degrees Romance Languages Majors Are Earning
People majoring in Romance Languages may pursue degrees at several award levels.
| Award Level | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Certificate | 93 |
| Associate’s Degree | 934 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 8,588 |
| Master’s Degree | 2,233 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 339 |
What Romance Languages Majors Need to Know
Coursework for Romance Languages develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Romance Languages graduates commonly enter.
Knowledge Areas
According to O*NET, a major in Romance Languages emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
- English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
- Foreign Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
- Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
- Administrative — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
- Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*
Skills
Skills emphasized by a Romance Languages program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
- Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
- Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
- Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
- Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
- Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
Abilities
Abilities most relevant to Romance Languages careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:
- Speech Clarity — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
- Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
- Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
- Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
- Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
Common Job Activities
Day-to-day, Romance Languages graduates report doing:
| Activity | Frequency / Importance |
|---|---|
| Training and Teaching Others | 4.2 / 7 |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge | 4.1 / 7 |
| Thinking Creatively | 4.0 / 7 |
| Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others | 4.0 / 7 |
| Getting Information | 4.0 / 7 |
| Working with Computers | 4.0 / 7 |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships | 3.9 / 7 |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems | 3.8 / 7 |
| Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work | 3.8 / 7 |
| Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates | 3.8 / 7 |
Technology Skills Used on the Job
Most frequently-cited tools used by Romance Languages professionals:
| Tool / Software | Category | In-Demand |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | ✓ |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | ✓ |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | ✓ |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software | — |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | — |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | — |
| Email software | Electronic mail software | — |
| Moodle | Computer based training software | — |
| Blackboard software | Data base user interface and query software | — |
| Computer assisted language learning CALL software | Foreign language software | — |
| iParadigms Turnitin | Information retrieval or search software | — |
| Adobe Photoshop | Graphics or photo imaging software | — |
Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*
Sample Job Titles
Real job postings for Romance Languages graduates include:
- ESL Instructor (English as a Second Language Instructor)
- Spanish Teacher
- Teacher
- Language Arts Teacher
- Language Teacher
- Bilingual Teacher
- French Teacher
- Hebrew Teacher
- Language Instructor
- College Faculty Member
- Russian Teacher
- Chinese Instructor
- Assistant Professor
- German Instructor
- Spanish Professor
What Can You Do With a Romance Languages Degree?
Graduates with a degree in Romance Languages commonly enter the following occupations:
| Occupation | Job Growth | Median Salary | 25th–75th Pctile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1.8% | $77,927 | $66,306–$89,549 |
Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*
Education Typically Required
Across the occupations open to Romance Languages graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:
| Education Level | Share of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 39.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 33.7% |
| Master’s degree | 17.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.4% |
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Who Is Earning a Degree in Romance Languages?
Gender Distribution
This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 75.1% of Romance Languages degrees.
| Gender | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 9,251 | 3571.8% |
| Men | 3,070 | 1185.3% |
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Romance Languages graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 111 | 42.9% |
| Asian | 15 | 5.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 56 | 21.6% |
| Black or African American | 11 | 4.2% |
| Two or More Races | 6 | 2.3% |
| Race Unknown | 8 | 3.1% |
| International Students | 52 | 20.1% |
See minority definition below.
How Much Do Romance Languages Graduates Earn?
College Scorecard reports median earnings of Romance Languages graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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.
Online Romance Languages Programs
Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Romance Languages. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).
| Award Level | Distance-Ed Available | Distance-Ed Only |
|---|---|---|
| Associate’s | 14 | 15 |
| Bachelor’s | 14 | 40 |
| Master’s | 8 | 6 |
Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.
Is a Degree in Romance Languages Worth It?
Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Romance Languages 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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