by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 2 U.S. colleges awarded 21 degrees and certificates in South Asian Languages. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 76% of graduates. Its 2 related occupations pay an average median salary of $46,221 a year.
There are many different cultures and religions associated with Southern Asia. This rich culture and diversity lends itself to several different languages and dialects spoken throughout the region. There are many different countries encompassed in what we would consider South Asia and because of this there are many different concentrations within this major. They include Hindi, Sanskrit and Classical Indian Languages, Bengali, Punjabi, Tamil, and Urdu Language and Literature.
In any one of these concentrations you will take Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Language Courses, Asian Literature, Religions of India, Buddhism in contemporary society, Art of Southeast Asian, and Classical Asian civilization.
Studying South Asian Languages covers South Asian Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, south asian languages is a widely-pursued major, with 21 degrees awarded annually. 2 colleges award south asian languages degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 14.
By level, the 21 awards include 3 bachelor’s degrees, 16 master’s degrees and 2 doctorates.
Women earned 52% of south asian languages degrees and certificates in the latest year (11 of 21). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Asian (14) and White (1), and international students earned 5.
The most common south asian languages credential is the master’s degree: 16 of the 21 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to south asian languages 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 south asian languages degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 16 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to south asian languages, 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 South Asian Languages, 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 University Faculty Member, Spanish Literature Professor, Hebrew Teacher and Languages Professor.
The occupation related to south asian languages 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% |
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to south asian languages, with a median salary of $52,627.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $39,815 |
South Asian Languages includes 2 concentrations that together award 21 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other (14) and South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (7). It has 16 similar majors in the Foreign Languages & Linguistics field, which together award 29,150 degrees a year; the largest are Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (12,344), Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services (7,420) and American Sign Language (2,471). Browse all Foreign Languages & Linguistics majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other | 14 |
| South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.