by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Linguistics covers Linguistics. A Program That Focuses On Language, Language Development, And Relationships Among Languages And Language Groups From A Humanistic And/or Scientific Perspective. Includes Instruction In Subjects Such As Psycholinguistics, Behavioral Linguistics, Language Acquisition, Sociolinguistics, Mathematical And Computational Linguistics, Grammatical Theory And Theoretical Linguistics, Philosophical Linguistics, Philology And Historical Linguistics, Comparative Linguistics, Phonetics, Phonemics, Dialectology, Semantics, Functional Grammar And Linguistics, Language Typology, Lexicography, Morphology And Syntax, Orthography, Stylistics, Structuralism, Rhetoric, And Applications To Artificial Intelligence. Read on to learn the key facts every linguistics major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering linguistics programs.
Across the country, linguistics draws strong interest, with 2,847 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Linguistics Schools ranking analyzes these 159 schools to determine the best overall colleges for linguistics students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of linguistics programs later in this article.
Coursework for Linguistics develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations linguistics graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a linguistics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a linguistics major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several linguistics degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 6 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 35 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,946 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 600 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 260 |
People currently working in careers related to linguistics tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in linguistics careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying linguistics can lead to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to linguistics.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to linguistics.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 629,317 | 7.3% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of linguistics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $28,314 |
| 4 years | $43,990 |
| 5 years | $52,123 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for linguistics graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers linguistics grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $39,815 |
With 159 different linguistics programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased linguistics school rankings to help you.
Those considering linguistics, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Foreign Languages and Literatures, General | 2,396 |
| Language Interpretation and Translation | 967 |
| Comparative Literature | 917 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other | 240 |
| Applied Linguistics | 197 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
