MAJORS · 19 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a linguistics & language studies degree worth it?
Part of Miscellaneous — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$16,100. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$16,100
across 139 bachelor’s programs · 6,424 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
−$25K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
−$128K ⟷ +$152K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
53.3%
MEDIAN BREAK-EVEN AGE
38
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
−$23K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$103K
Questions
- Is a linguistics & language studies degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 139 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Linguistics & Language Studies is +$16,100 and the median is −$25,155. 53.3% of graduates in this field never break even on the degree. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between −$128,239 and +$152,378.
- How long until a linguistics & language studies degree pays off?
- Among Linguistics & Language Studies programs that do break even, the median graduate crosses into positive ROI at age 38 (FREOPP 2021). 53.3% of graduates in the field are in programs that never break even at all.
- Does the school matter for a linguistics & language studies major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Linguistics & Language Studies graduates span −$128,239 to +$152,378 — a +$281K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
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Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Linguistics & Language Studies: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/linguistics-and-language-studies