by our College Data Analytics Team
[Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/linguistics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for linguistics students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the linguistics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Harvard University the best value for a degree in linguistics in Massachusetts. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,676. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $16,616. Linguistics graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in linguistics will find it at University Of Massachusetts Amherst, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,772, while out-of-state students pay about $40,449. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $25,234. Early-career linguistics graduates make about $20,334. That is a strong return on a $25,234 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Boston University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in linguistics, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Students borrow a median of $25,232 to complete the linguistics program here. Linguistics graduates of Boston University earn a median of $63,598 early in their careers. Set against $25,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
A rank of #4 makes Northeastern University one of the best values for linguistics. Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Students from in state pay about $66,162 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,611 to complete the linguistics program here. Early-career linguistics graduates make about $74,800. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
1
2
3
4
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.