2023 Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools
College Factual reviewed 254 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of foreign languages and linguistics. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 33,333 degrees in foreign languages and linguistics during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Foreign Languages & Linguistics School
Your choice of foreign languages and linguistics school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Foreign Languages & Linguistics School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Pick Your Foreign Languages & Linguistics Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.
Best Schools for Foreign Languages & Linguistics in the United States
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the foreign languages and linguistics degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
25 Top Schools in Foreign Languages & Linguistics
Any student pursuing a degree in foreign languages and linguistics has to look into University of Notre Dame. Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.
There were about 148 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent year we have data available. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from University of Notre Dame earn $6,737 more than the typical foreign languages and linguistics graduate.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Notre Dame
It's hard to beat Columbia University in the City of New York if you wish to pursue a degree in foreign languages and linguistics. Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.
There were about 265 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. Foreign Languages & Linguistics degree recipients from Columbia University in the City of New York receive an earnings boost of around $22,467 over the average earnings of foreign languages and linguistics graduates.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Columbia University in the City of New York
Duke University is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in foreign languages and linguistics. Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.
There were approximately 91 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available. Foreign Languages & Linguistics degree recipients from Duke University get an earnings boost of around $2,269 above the average earnings of foreign languages and linguistics majors.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Duke University
It is hard to beat Vanderbilt University if you want to pursue a degree in foreign languages and linguistics. Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Nashville. A Best Colleges rank of #21 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.
There were about 77 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the foreign languages and linguistics program state that they receive average early career earnings of $31,649.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Vanderbilt University
Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #29 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were about 337 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the foreign languages and linguistics program make about $31,599 in their early career salary.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of California - Los Angeles
University of Virginia is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Charlottesville. A Best Colleges rank of #32 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.
There were approximately 204 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from University of Virginia - Main Campus receive $4,735 more than the standard foreign languages and linguistics graduate.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Virginia - Main Campus
UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were roughly 273 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from University of California - Berkeley make $3,700 more than the standard foreign languages and linguistics student.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of California - Berkeley
Tufts is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Medford. This university ranks 4th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were approximately 81 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Tufts in the most recent data year. Foreign Languages & Linguistics degree recipients from Tufts University receive an earnings boost of approximately $7,394 over the average income of foreign languages and linguistics majors.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Tufts University
Located in the medium-sized city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Brown is a great university overall.
There were roughly 50 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the foreign languages and linguistics program earn an average of $28,130 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Brown University
Located in the large city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means Georgetown is a great university overall.
There were approximately 121.99999999999999 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from Georgetown University earn $8,698 more than the standard foreign languages and linguistics graduate.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Georgetown University
USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 122 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the foreign languages and linguistics major at University of Southern California earn $4,866 above the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Southern California
Located in the distant town of Lewisburg, Bucknell is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 6th out of 117 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were approximately 50 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Bucknell in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from Bucknell University make $14,186 more than the typical foreign languages and linguistics student.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Bucknell University
Colgate is a small private not-for-profit university located in the distant town of Hamilton. This university ranks 4th out of 143 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were about 46 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Colgate in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from Colgate University receive $8,723 more than the average foreign languages and linguistics graduate.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Colgate University
Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 87 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were roughly 150 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign make $2,374 more than the standard foreign languages and linguistics grad.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,241 schools nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.
There were approximately 474.00000000000006 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, foreign languages and linguistics degree recipients usually make an average of $32,882 in their early careers.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Wisconsin - Madison
U-M is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #25 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.
There were roughly 286 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, foreign languages and linguistics degree recipients generally earn around $23,132 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Vassar is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Poughkeepsie. This college ranks 12th out of 143 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were about 57 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Vassar in the most recent year we have data available. Foreign Languages & Linguistics degree recipients from Vassar College receive an earnings boost of about $4,172 over the typical earnings of foreign languages and linguistics majors.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Vassar College
Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 77 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.
There were roughly 206 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the foreign languages and linguistics program state that they receive average early career wages of $29,588.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of Florida
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 11th out of 170 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 258 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, foreign languages and linguistics degree recipients typically earn an average of $30,575 in their early careers.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from University of California - Davis
Located in the large suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 116 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 49 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at SMU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the foreign languages and linguistics program at Southern Methodist University earn $12,212 above the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Southern Methodist University
Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 117 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were roughly 61 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Villanova in the most recent data year. Foreign Languages & Linguistics degree recipients from Villanova University receive an earnings boost of about $3,007 above the typical earnings of foreign languages and linguistics majors.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Villanova University
Hamilton is a small private not-for-profit college located in the suburb of Clinton. This college ranks 11th out of 143 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were about 48 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Hamilton in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from Hamilton College receive $9,486 more than the standard foreign languages and linguistics grad.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Hamilton College
Located in the large suburb of Wellesley, Wellesley is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 9th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were roughly 38 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Wellesley in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from Wellesley College make $5,830 more than the typical foreign languages and linguistics student.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Wellesley College
Located in the town of Waterville, Colby is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 3rd out of 19 schools for overall quality in the state of Maine.
There were roughly 31 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Colby in the most recent year we have data available. Foreign Languages & Linguistics degree recipients from Colby College receive an earnings boost of approximately $13,440 above the typical earnings of foreign languages and linguistics majors.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Colby College
BYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Provo. This university ranks 1st out of 14 colleges for overall quality in the state of Utah.
There were approximately 364 foreign languages and linguistics students who graduated with this degree at BYU in the most recent data year. Those foreign languages and linguistics students who get their degree from Brigham Young University - Provo make $4,839 more than the average foreign languages and linguistics grad.
More information about a degree in foreign languages and linguistics from Brigham Young University - ProvoRest of the Top Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | Brandeis University | Waltham, MA |
| 40 | Ohio State University - Main Campus | Columbus, OH |
| 41 | College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, MA |
| 42 | Denison University | Granville, OH |
| 43 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA |
| 44 | Iowa State University | Ames, IA |
| 45 | University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, MD |
| 46 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO |
| 47 | University of Missouri - Columbia | Columbia, MO |
| 48 | University of Delaware | Newark, DE |
| 49 | Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA |
| 50 | Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley, MA |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics by Region
View the Best Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
Other Rankings
Associate Degrees
in Foreign Languages & Linguistics
Master's Degrees
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Best for Non-Traditional Students
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Best Online
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Bachelor's Degrees
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Doctor's Degrees
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Highest Paid Grads
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Best for Veterans
in Foreign Languages & Linguistics
Most Popular
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Most Focused
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Foreign Languages & Linguistics Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Romance Languages | 15,009 |
| Linguistics & Comparative Literature | 8,539 |
| American Sign Language | 2,724 |
| East Asian Languages | 2,293 |
| Classical Languages & Literature | 1,428 |
| Germanic Languages | 1,425 |
| Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages | 607 |
| Middle Eastern Semitic Languages | 607 |
| Foreign Language, Literature & Linguistics (Other) | 500 |
| Second Language Learning | 108 |
View All Foreign Languages & Linguistics Related Majors >
Notes and References
- The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to John Stephen Dwyer.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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