2027 Best Value Linguistics Schools in Pennsylvania

[Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/linguistics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong linguistics education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for linguistics students.
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2027 Best Value Linguistics Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in linguistics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Linguistics Schools
Swarthmore College earned the #1 spot for value among linguistics schools in Pennsylvania. Set in the suburb of Swarthmore, Swarthmore College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,494 in tuition and fees. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Linguistics graduates of Swarthmore College earn a median of $66,971 early in their careers. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Swarthmore College admits about 8% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in linguistics will find it at West Chester University Of Pennsylvania, which ranked #2. West Chester University Of Pennsylvania is a large public school located in the suburb of West Chester. In-state tuition and fees average $10,775, compared with $22,599 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $61,258. The acceptance rate is 78%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Pennsylvania one of the best values for linguistics. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,686. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $16,155 in student loans. Linguistics graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $99,682 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,155 median debt. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Temple University earned it the #4 place for linguistics. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,005, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from Temple University generally make around $54,642. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in linguistics, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Students from in state pay about $21,926 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $23,577 in student loans. Early-career linguistics graduates make about $37,208. That is a strong return on a $23,577 median debt. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus admits about 58% of applicants.
Bryn Mawr College placed #6 among the best values for linguistics. Bryn Mawr College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bryn Mawr. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,920. Students borrow a median of $23,069 to complete the linguistics program here. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from Bryn Mawr College generally make around $35,668. Set against $23,069 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
Carnegie Mellon University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value linguistics schools. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $65,636. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $23,529. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from Carnegie Mellon University generally make around $89,327. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. The acceptance rate is 12%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.