by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 15 U.S. colleges awarded 145 degrees and certificates in Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 50% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $46,924 one year after completing, rising to $64,472 after four years.
Studying Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General explores Germanic Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics, General. A General Program That Focuses On One Or More Of The Germanic Languages Of Western, Central, And Northern Europe. Includes Instruction In Philology; Linguistics; Dialects And Pidgins; Literature; And Applications To Business, Science/technology, And Other Settings.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general is a widely-pursued major, with 145 degrees awarded annually. 15 colleges award germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 72.
By level, the 145 awards include 53 bachelor’s degrees, 73 master’s degrees and 19 doctorates.
Women earned 57% of germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general degrees and certificates in the latest year (83 of 145). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (108) and multiracial (9), and international students earned 14.
College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General Schools ranking. It also ranks germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general schools within 1 state. In all, 15 colleges offer germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general credential is the master’s degree: 73 of the 145 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Foreign Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Speech Clarity, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 53 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 73 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 19 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general, at 45.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 45.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 28.2% |
| Master’s degree | 15.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General, with an average median salary of $56,790; the strongest outlook belongs to Interpreters and Translators, at 12.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Bilingual Teacher, Language Instructor, Language Arts Teacher and Language Teacher.
The occupation related to germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general with the most projected jobs is Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, at 629,317.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 629,317 | 7.3% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 571,954 | 1.8% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General graduates earn a median $46,924 one year after completing their program, $64,472 after four years and $62,456 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $46,924 |
| 4 years | $64,472 |
| 5 years | $62,456 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to germanic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general is Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, with a median salary of $77,927.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $77,927 |
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $39,815 |
Germanic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General has 6 similar majors in the Foreign Languages & Linguistics field, which together award 958 degrees a year; the largest are German Language and Literature (918), Scandinavian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (16) and Norwegian Language and Literature (14). Browse all Foreign Languages & Linguistics majors or the full list of college majors.
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