Foreign Languages and Literatures: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Students in this program explore the structure, expression, and cultural context of one or more modern foreign languages through a broad, interdisciplinary lens. Designed to cultivate deep linguistic proficiency and cross-cultural understanding, the curriculum prepares learners to engage meaningfully with global communities and diverse literary traditions.
- Language Acquisition and Proficiency: Develop advanced skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing through immersive instruction and real-world application.
- Literary Analysis: Examine canonical and contemporary texts from various regions to understand narrative forms, stylistic devices, and cultural themes.
- Cultural Studies: Investigate historical, social, and political contexts that shape language use and literary production in different linguistic communities.
- Translation and Interpretation: Master techniques for accurate and context-sensitive translation between languages, emphasizing nuance and cultural equivalence.
- Applied Linguistics: Study the science of language learning, including phonetics, syntax, semantics, and language acquisition theories.
- Intercultural Communication: Build competencies in navigating cross-cultural interactions with sensitivity, awareness, and effective communication strategies.
Foreign Languages and Literatures Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Foreign Languages and Literatures Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Foreign Languages and Literatures degrees, including Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education and Interpreters and Translators. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 1,147,070 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1124 | $77,010 | $47,090 - $134,960 | 21,170 | N/A |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2031 | $64,580 | $47,330 - $104,670 | 1,072,540 | N/A |
| Interpreters and Translators 27-3091 | $59,440 | $35,630 - $99,830 | 53,360 | $28.58 |
Foreign Languages and Literatures Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $48,357 in Mississippi to $92,850 in California—a 92% difference. The highest-paying states include California, New York, and Rhode Island. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 1,147,070 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Foreign Languages and Literatures by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Foreign Languages and Literatures programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Foreign Languages and Literatures is found at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) (68 graduates), North Carolina State University (NC State), Raleigh (64 graduates), University of South Florida (USF) (58 graduates), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Main Campus (56 graduates), and University of Florida (UF) (53 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 2,062 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
68 | Blacksburg, Virginia | Public | vt.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
64 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| University of South Florida (USF) |
Bachelor's
|
58 | Tampa, Florida | Public | usf.edu |
| Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
56 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gatech.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Residency
|
53 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Associate's
|
51 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Bachelor's
|
51 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | nmsu.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
48 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
46 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
44 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMBC) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
43 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umbc.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | uprrp.edu |
| Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) |
Bachelor's
|
41 | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | Public | mtsu.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
39 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
36 | Denver, Colorado | Public | msudenver.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Associate's
|
35 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| Kansas State University (K‑State) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
33 | Manhattan, Kansas | Public | k-state.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
33 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| James Madison University (JMU) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Public | jmu.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
31 | Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| The University of Texas (UTSA) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | San Antonio, Texas | Public | utsa.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| George Mason University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
27 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
26 | West Chester, Pennsylvania | Public | wcupa.edu |
| Blinn College District |
Associate's
|
26 | Brenham, Texas | Public | blinn.edu |
| Missouri State University |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Springfield, Missouri | Public | missouristate.edu |
| Old Dominion University (ODU) |
Bachelor's
|
23 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | odu.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Associate's
|
22 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| University of North Georgia (UNG) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Dahlonega, Georgia | Public | ung.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAB) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Birmingham, Alabama | Public | uab.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNO) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Omaha, Nebraska | Public | unomaha.edu |
| East Tennessee State University (ETSU) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Johnson City, Tennessee | Public | etsu.edu |
| Southern Illinois University |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Carbondale, Illinois | Public | siu.edu |
| Fort Hays State University (FHSU) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Hays, Kansas | Public | fhsu.edu |
| Clemson University |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| University of Mary Washington (UMW) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Fredericksburg, Virginia | Public | umw.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| University of Arkansas (UA Little Rock) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Little Rock, Arkansas | Public | ualr.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania | Public | sru.edu |
| Coastal Carolina University (CCU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Conway, South Carolina | Public | coastal.edu |
| Virginia Military Institute (VMI) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Lexington, Virginia | Public | vmi.edu |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (CU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania | Public | commonwealthu.edu |
| Towson University (TU) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Towson, Maryland | Public | towson.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| University of Missouri (UMKC) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Kansas City, Missouri | Public | umkc.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| Winthrop University |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Rock Hill, South Carolina | Public | winthrop.edu |
| Christopher Newport University (CNU) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Newport News, Virginia | Public | cnu.edu |
| Golden West College (GWC) |
Associate's
|
14 | Huntington Beach, California | Public | goldenwestcollege.edu |
| Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) |
Master's
|
14 | New Britain, Connecticut | Public | ccsu.edu |
| Truman State University |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Kirksville, Missouri | Public | truman.edu |
| Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) |
Associate's
|
14 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | cnm.edu |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) |
Associate's
|
13 | New York, New York | Public | bmcc.cuny.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
13 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| Southern Illinois University (SIUE) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Edwardsville, Illinois | Public | siue.edu |
| University of Southern Indiana (USI) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Evansville, Indiana | Public | usi.edu |
| Stockton University |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Galloway, New Jersey | Public | stockton.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
12 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Public | occc.edu |
| The University of Tennessee (UTC) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Public | utc.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU Pueblo) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Pueblo, Colorado | Public | csupueblo.edu |
| Eastern Illinois University (EIU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Charleston, Illinois | Public | eiu.edu |
| University of Southern Mississippi (USM) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Public | usm.edu |
| University of Central Missouri (UCM) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
11 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Public | ucmo.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| Suffolk County Community College (SUNY) |
Associate's
|
11 | Selden, New York | Public | sunysuffolk.edu |
| South Texas College (STC) |
Associate's
|
11 | McAllen, Texas | Public | southtexascollege.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Lowell, Massachusetts | Public | uml.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNK) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Kearney, Nebraska | Public | unk.edu |
| University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Asheville, North Carolina | Public | unca.edu |
| Pittsburg State University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Pittsburg, Kansas | Public | pittstate.edu |
| St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | St. Mary's City, Maryland | Public | smcm.edu |
| Duke University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Durham, North Carolina | Private | duke.edu |
| Stephen F Austin State University (SFASU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Nacogdoches, Texas | Public | sfasu.edu |
| University of Alaska (UAA) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Anchorage, Alaska | Public | uaa.alaska.edu |
| Georgia College & State University |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Milledgeville, Georgia | Public | gcsu.edu |
| Wichita State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Wichita, Kansas | Public | wichita.edu |
| University of Louisiana (UL Lafayette) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Lafayette, Louisiana | Public | louisiana.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| College of Southern Nevada (CSN) |
Associate's
|
8 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | csn.edu |
| Sinclair Community College |
Associate's
|
8 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | sinclair.edu |
| Rhode Island College (RIC) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Providence, Rhode Island | Public | ric.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Master's
|
8 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| New College of Florida (NCF) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Sarasota, Florida | Public | ncf.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAH) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
7 | Huntsville, Alabama | Public | uah.edu |
| Arkansas Tech University (ATU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Russellville, Arkansas | Public | atu.edu |
| University of Central Arkansas (UCA) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Conway, Arkansas | Public | uca.edu |
| University of Denver (DU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Denver, Colorado | Private | du.edu |
| Western Illinois University (WIU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Macomb, Illinois | Public | wiu.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Foreign Languages and Literatures programs
How much can I earn with a Foreign Languages and Literatures degree?
Salaries for Foreign Languages and Literatures graduates vary by role and location. Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $77,010 annually, while Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn around $64,580. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $92,850 compared to $48,357 in Mississippi. Approximately 1,147,070 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Foreign Languages and Literatures programs?
Currently 206 accredited institutions offer Foreign Languages and Literatures degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) (68 graduates), North Carolina State University (NC State), Raleigh (64 graduates), and University of South Florida (USF) (58 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Foreign Languages and Literatures growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 2,581 in 2010 to a peak of 3,073 in 2020, before declining slightly to 2,396 in 2023-24. This represents a 7% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Foreign Languages and Literatures degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, and Interpreters and Translators. Related occupations employ approximately 1,147,070 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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