by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, modern languages was the 234th most popular major nationwide with 2,871 degrees awarded. This represents a 7.1% reduction in modern languages degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 3,075.
Our 2023 Best Modern Languages Schools ranking analyzes 65 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for modern languages students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of modern languages programs later in this article.
When studying Modern Languages, you’ll learn that talking to others to convey information effectively will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Required skills include giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
modern languages degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific modern languages careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are many different modern languages degree levels. You can get anything from a in modern languages to the highest modern languages degree, a . The time it takes to complete a modern languages degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to modern languages, with approximately 37.8% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to modern languages tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 41.2% |
| Master’s Degree | 23.0% |
| Doctoral Degree | 21.5% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 7.2% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 4.3% |
Most workers in modern languages have at least a master's degree. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in modern languages careers have.
This of course varies depending on which modern languages career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your modern languages degree? Modern Languages careers are expected to grow 8.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to modern languages.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 1,095,500 | 7.5% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 80,300 | 17.7% |
| Foreign Language and Literature Professors | 39,100 | 11.7% |
As you might expect, salaries for modern languages graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for modern languages graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers modern languages grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Foreign Language and Literature Professors | $79,160 |
| High School Teachers | $64,340 |
| Interpreters and Translators | $55,230 |
With over 427 different modern languages degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased modern languages school rankings to help you with this.
One of 5 majors within the Linguistics & Comparative Literature area of study, Modern Languages has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Linguistics | 3,247 |
| Language Translation | 971 |
| Comparative Literature | 964 |
| Other Linguistic, Comparative, & Related Language Studies & Services | 288 |
| Applied Linguistics | 198 |
Image Credit: By Pandit Rahul Sanskrutayan, Banshidhar Mohanty under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
