by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Modern Languages explores Foreign Languages And Literatures, General. A General Program That Focuses On One Or More Modern Foreign Languages That Is Not Specific As To The Name Of The Language(S) Studied; That Is Otherwise Undifferentiated; Or That Introduces Students To Language Studies At The Basic/elementary Level. Read on to learn the key facts every modern languages major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering modern languages programs.
Across the country, modern languages is a widely-pursued major, with 2,396 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Modern Languages Schools ranking analyzes these 206 schools to determine the best overall colleges for modern languages students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of modern languages programs later in this article.
Programs in Modern Languages emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations modern languages graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a modern languages program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a modern languages major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several modern languages 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 | 1 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 279 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,820 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 264 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 19 |
People currently working in careers related to modern languages tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 45.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 28.2% |
| Master’s degree | 15.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in modern languages careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in modern languages opens doors to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to modern languages.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to modern languages.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 629,317 | 7.3% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 571,954 | 1.8% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of modern languages graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow 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 modern languages graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers modern languages grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $77,927 |
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $39,815 |
With 206 different modern languages programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased modern languages school rankings to help you.
Those considering modern languages, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Linguistics | 2,847 |
| 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.
