by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 6 U.S. colleges awarded 43 degrees and certificates in Middle/Near Eastern & Semitic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 42% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $48,355 one year after completing, rising to $75,147 after four years.
Studying Middle/Near Eastern & Semitic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General explores Middle/near Eastern And Semitic Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics, General. A General Program That Focuses On One Or More Of The Middle/near Eastern And Semitic Languages Of The Ancient And Modern Middle/near East, Western Asia, North Africa, And 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., middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general is a widely-pursued major, with 43 degrees awarded annually. 6 colleges award middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general degrees, an average of 7 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 18.
By level, the 43 awards include 18 bachelor’s degrees, 8 master’s degrees and 17 doctorates.
Women earned 42% of middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general degrees and certificates in the latest year (18 of 43). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (26) and Hispanic or Latino (2), and international students earned 11.
The most common middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general credential is the bachelor’s degree: 18 of the 43 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general 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 middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 18 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 8 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 17 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general, 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 Middle/Near Eastern & Semitic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General, 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 Greek Professor, Japanese Professor, Spanish Instructor and Spanish Lecturer.
The occupation related to middle/near eastern & semitic 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% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
Middle/Near Eastern & Semitic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General graduates earn a median $48,355 one year after completing their program, $75,147 after four years and $73,123 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $48,355 |
| 4 years | $75,147 |
| 5 years | $73,123 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to middle/near eastern & semitic languages, literatures, & linguistics, general, with a median salary of $52,627.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $39,815 |
Middle/Near Eastern & Semitic Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General has 4 similar majors in the Foreign Languages & Linguistics field, which together award 439 degrees a year; the largest are Arabic Language and Literature (258), Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other (93) and Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (66). Browse all Foreign Languages & Linguistics majors or the full list of college majors.
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