by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 162 U.S. colleges awarded 2,794 degrees and certificates in Linguistics. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 71% of graduates. College Factual ranks 81 schools in its 2027 Best Linguistics Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $28,314 one year after completing, rising to $53,106 after four years.
Studying Linguistics covers Linguistics. A Program That Focuses On Language, Language Development, And Relationships Among Languages And Language Groups From A Humanistic And/or Scientific Perspective. Includes Instruction In Subjects Such As Psycholinguistics, Behavioral Linguistics, Language Acquisition, Sociolinguistics, Mathematical And Computational Linguistics, Grammatical Theory And Theoretical Linguistics, Philosophical Linguistics, Philology And Historical Linguistics, Comparative Linguistics, Phonetics, Phonemics, Dialectology, Semantics, Functional Grammar And Linguistics, Language Typology, Lexicography, Morphology And Syntax, Orthography, Stylistics, Structuralism, Rhetoric, And Applications To Artificial Intelligence.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, linguistics draws strong interest, with 2,794 degrees awarded annually. 162 colleges award linguistics degrees, an average of 17 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 86.
By level, the 2,794 awards include 9 certificates, 37 associate degrees, 1,975 bachelor’s degrees, 561 master’s degrees and 212 doctorates.
Women earned 68% of linguistics degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,899 of 2,794). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,349) and Hispanic or Latino (451), and international students earned 314.
College Factual ranks 81 schools in its 2027 Best Linguistics Schools ranking, including 61 for bachelor’s degrees, 11 for master’s degrees and 1 for doctorates. It also ranks linguistics schools within 31 states. In all, 162 colleges offer linguistics programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Linguistics Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common linguistics credential is the bachelor’s degree: 1,975 of the 2,794 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to linguistics call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Foreign Language, English Language and Education and Training, 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 linguistics degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 9 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 37 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,975 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 561 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 212 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to linguistics, at 44.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 44.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 26.8% |
| Master’s degree | 21.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Linguistics, with an average median salary of $46,221; the strongest outlook belongs to Interpreters and Translators, at 12.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Assistant Professor, Spanish Literature Professor, Arabic Professor and Lecturer.
The occupation related to linguistics 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% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
Linguistics graduates earn a median $28,314 one year after completing their program, $53,106 after four years and $52,214 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $28,314 |
| 4 years | $53,106 |
| 5 years | $52,214 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to linguistics, with a median salary of $52,627.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $39,815 |
Linguistics has 5 similar majors in the Foreign Languages & Linguistics field, which together award 4,626 degrees a year; the largest are Foreign Languages and Literatures, General (2,280), Comparative Literature (987) and Language Interpretation and Translation (876). Browse all Foreign Languages & Linguistics majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Foreign Languages and Literatures, General | 2,280 |
| Comparative Literature | 987 |
| Language Interpretation and Translation | 876 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other | 308 |
| Applied Linguistics | 175 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
