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2023 South Asian Languages Degree Guide

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.

A Spike in South Asian Languages Degrees

#367 Most Popular Major
24.0 Degrees Awarded
58.3% Increase in Graduates

South Asian Languages was the 367th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 24 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 58.3% increase in South Asian degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 10.

Our 2023 Best South Asian Languages Schools ranking analyzes 1 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for South Asian languages students. Explore this or one of our many other custom South Asian rankings further below.

2023 Best Colleges for South Asian Languages
2023 Overall Best South Asian Languages Colleges >

Best South Asian Languages Schools by Degree

Bachelor's Degrees in South Asian Languages
Master's Degrees in South Asian Languages
Doctorate Degrees in South Asian Languages

South Asian Languages Degree Requirements

South Asian Languages majors are found most commonly in careers in which talking to others to convey information effectively is important. 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.

Getting Accepted Into a South Asian Languages Program

New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional South Asian certifications required to pursue a career in this field.

South Asian Languages Degree Types

There are various different levels of South Asian degrees. You can get anything from a in South Asian languages to the highest South Asian degree, a . Depending on the South Asian languages degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.

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 doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to South Asian, with approximately 36.7% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to South Asian tend obtained the following education levels.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Doctoral Degree 37.8%
Bachelor’s Degree 30.1%
Master’s Degree 21.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 5.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate 4.3%

62.8% of South Asian workers have at least a master's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in South Asian languages have received.

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The education level required is different depending on the South Asian career you are seeking.

South Asian Careers

Below Average Number of Jobs
67.2k Avg. Related Jobs Salary
16% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

High Growth Projected for South Asian Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your South Asian degree? South Asian Languages careers are expected to grow 15.7% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to South Asian languages.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Interpreters and Translators 80,300 17.7%
Foreign Language and Literature Professors 39,100 11.7%

South Asian Degree Salary Potential

As you might expect, salaries for South Asian graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

Highest Paid South Asian Careers

Salaries for South Asian languages graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers South Asian grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Foreign Language and Literature Professors $79,160
Interpreters and Translators $55,230

Getting Your South Asian Languages Degree

With over 8 different South Asian 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 South Asian school rankings to help you with this.

One of 17 majors within the Foreign Languages & Linguistics area of study, South Asian Languages has other similar majors worth exploring.

South Asian Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Sanskrit & Classical Indian Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics 17
South Asian Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics, General 7

View All South Asian Concentrations >

Related 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

View All South Asian Related Majors >

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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