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What you'll do in college

Languages Education programs train you to teach English, literature, or foreign/second languages to diverse populations. You will study linguistics, literature, grammar, and phonetics alongside teaching methodologies, second-language acquisition theory, and cultural competency.

Programs require rigorous reading and writing, as well as field experiences in language classrooms to practice designing engaging lessons that build students' communication skills.

What you'll do after college

Graduates primarily work as middle or high school English or foreign language teachers, or as English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors for children or adults. Opportunities also exist globally for teaching English abroad.

Outside traditional schools, alumni often find work in translation, technical writing, corporate language training, publishing, and international educational programs.

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$52,733
550
100–85%
$54,114
1,104
85–58%
$51,567
550
58–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$51,377
366
400–1090
$54,680
747
1090–1280
$48,844
372
1280–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$46,929p10 $61,555p90 Art & Music Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Top 61–100 Top 21–60 Oklahoma City University · $53,639 Berea College · $45,190 College of Saint Mary · $56,992 Providence College · $61,936 Grove City College · $52,917 Ohio Wesleyan University · $51,793 Albion College · $53,479 Carroll College · $50,490 Crown College · $52,453 Elizabethtown College · $70,646 Buena Vista University · $57,839 Ottawa University - Ottawa · $56,119 Hope College · $51,089 Augustana College (IL) · $51,127 Hastings College · $54,483 Juniata College · $53,087 Franklin Pierce University · $55,801 Spring Hill College · $52,401 Gustavus Adolphus College · $53,924 Taylor University · $47,426 Lipscomb University · $51,240 Calvin University · $51,605 Augsburg University · $50,101 Dakota Wesleyan University · $54,922 Rocky Mountain College · $52,992 York College of Pennsylvania · $47,373 Roanoke College · $53,546 Flagler College · $45,245 Nebraska Wesleyan University · $63,490 Goshen College · $52,329 Miles College · $45,977 Hiram College · $50,870 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · $56,255 CUNY Hunter College · $68,829 University of Montana Western · $53,207 University of South Florida · $50,688 University of Central Florida · $49,133 State University of New York at New Paltz · $55,116 CUNY Brooklyn College · $66,157 CUNY Queens College · $62,370 Florida Atlantic University · $50,663 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $63,543 University of Connecticut · $57,757 Florida International University · $44,399 CUNY City College · $70,081 CUNY Lehman College · $84,659 Northwestern Oklahoma State University · $54,867 State University of New York at Cortland · $59,548 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $52,687 Arkansas State University · $52,934 Appalachian State University · $50,545 Fresno State · $55,582 Ball State University · $57,733 Central Michigan University · $51,427 Eastern Michigan University · $47,665 Minnesota State University Moorhead · $52,945 James Madison University · $72,558 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $50,468 SUNY Oneonta · $66,579 University of Delaware · $61,555 University of Vermont · $54,394 Miami University - Ohio · $49,369 SUNY College at Geneseo · $59,865 Southeastern Oklahoma State University · $50,445 University of Michigan - Flint · $46,929 Bemidji State University · $49,237 University of Idaho · $52,917 University of Mississippi · $45,895 University of Illinois Chicago · $59,046 Rowan University · $53,944 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $54,969 SUNY Old Westbury · $66,120 Winona State University · $52,902 Eastern Kentucky University · $44,045 Fitchburg State University · $51,597 Youngstown State University · $47,944 Saginaw Valley State University · $49,627 Southeast Missouri State University · $43,020 Western Carolina University · $49,670 Kennesaw State University · $52,336 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania · $61,658 State University of New York at Oswego · $56,701 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $52,145 Temple University · $53,248 SUNY College at Potsdam · $55,305 University of Central Oklahoma · $56,524 Indiana University - Northwest · $51,925 Bowling Green State University · $49,251 Eastern Washington University · $57,609 Kent State University at Kent · $45,968 Nevada State University · $61,293 Valley City State University · $58,215 Western Michigan University · $51,215 University of Nevada, Reno · $69,630 Boise State University · $51,536 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $56,021 Arkansas Tech University · $50,618 Central Washington University · $57,724 Delta State University · $48,775 Emporia State University · $51,489 Ferris State University · $50,285 Indiana State University · $50,297 Northern State University · $51,395 Rhode Island College · $53,121 SUNY Buffalo State University · $47,000 Saint Cloud State University · $48,115 Southern Utah University · $54,468 University of Akron · $49,294 Wichita State University · $51,184 Metropolitan State University · $67,471 Ohio University · $58,604 Northern Michigan University · $50,238 Northwest Missouri State University · $46,293 Bridgewater State University · $50,126 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $53,113 Indiana University - South Bend · $51,879 Salisbury University · $57,121 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $30,011 Minot State University · $60,143 University of Northern Colorado · $45,927 Northern Arizona University · $51,006 SUNY at Fredonia · $49,183 Southwest Minnesota State University · $47,454 University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg · $64,324 Southeastern Louisiana University · $52,364 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $65,264 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $50,607 North Dakota State University · $55,866 East Carolina University · $51,618 Utah State University · $62,175 University of Northern Iowa · $56,372 Western Washington University · $61,935 University of Southern Indiana · $49,861 University of Maine at Farmington · $46,232 College of Staten Island CUNY · $67,206 Lewis-Clark State College · $48,419 University of Wyoming · $59,256 Dickinson State University · $56,107 Northeastern State University · $56,293 Cameron University · $52,749 Chadron State College · $57,592 Dine College · $43,962 Lake Superior State University · $50,795 Mayville State University · $63,278 Montana State University - Billings · $52,326 Peru State College · $48,193 Southwestern Oklahoma State University · $55,755 Utah Valley University · $51,963 Washburn University · $52,555 Wayne State College · $55,807 Weber State University · $52,425 Regent University · $50,860 Union University · $50,194 Liberty University · $49,591 Madonna University · $54,105 Mississippi Christian University · $48,207 Baylor University · $56,166 Oklahoma Baptist University · $54,424 Charleston Southern University · $47,854 Texas Wesleyan University · $57,264 Spring Arbor University · $49,404 University of Dayton · $54,148 Olivet Nazarene University · $49,871 Southeastern University · $51,350 Anderson University · $45,077 Cedarville University · $47,076 Harding University · $52,808 Messiah University · $51,287 Toccoa Falls College · $45,816 York University · $50,583 University of Mobile · $49,454 Williams Baptist University · $52,105 Cairn University - Langhorne · $46,006 Our Lady of the Lake University · $57,037 Mount Marty University · $54,971 Brigham Young University · $54,381 Ashland University · $49,660 Concordia University - Nebraska · $64,007 Concordia University - Saint Paul · $54,560 Concordia University Wisconsin · $49,078 Ohio Northern University · $54,175 Pepperdine University · $53,138 North Greenville University · $44,383 Reinhardt University · $62,380 Elmhurst University · $57,492 Lewis University · $52,274 Lee University · $50,059 Centenary University · $55,047 Niagara University · $54,982 St. Ambrose University · $52,222 Lindsey Wilson College · $54,666 College of St. Scholastica · $51,706 Morningside University · $56,661 Colorado Christian University · $46,807 Mercer University · $55,466 Loyola University Chicago · $55,829 Dominican University New York · $51,070 Louisiana Christian University · $55,334 Brigham Young University - Hawaii · $46,400 Holy Family University · $65,388 University of Sioux Falls · $50,078 Midway University · $46,854 Carson-Newman University · $47,132 Geneva College · $42,092 Molloy College · $56,167 University of Mary · $54,015 St. Joseph's University - New York · $57,797 Walsh University · $47,701 Wayland Baptist University · $45,643 Marywood University · $54,239 University of Northwestern - St Paul · $45,843 Grace College and Theological Seminary · $48,533 Siena College · $56,763 University of Mount Olive · $48,328 Rivier University · $47,991 University of Findlay · $52,568 Houston Christian University · $50,438 Oral Roberts University · $52,291 Saint Xavier University · $56,208 St. John's University - New York · $57,034 Martin Luther College · $49,579 Heidelberg University · $51,109 Duquesne University · $56,462 Campbell University · $49,670 Roberts Wesleyan University · $48,844 Concordia University - Chicago · $50,060 DePaul University · $55,062 University of Pikeville · $41,608 Palm Beach Atlantic University · $50,011 Cornerstone University · $48,844 Indiana Wesleyan University · $51,626 Dallas Baptist University · $56,225 Bryan College - Dayton · $47,251 Hardin-Simmons University · $54,191 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $45,178 Christian Brothers University · $57,114 Oklahoma Christian University · $52,466 University of Lynchburg · $50,295 Blue Mountain Christian University · $62,933 Marist University · $55,499 Pace University · $54,018 Bradley University · $52,649 Trine University · $55,912 Point Park University · $50,061 Widener University · $57,552 Hawaii Pacific University · $57,334 Long Island University · $61,101 Roger Williams University · $58,227 Robert Morris University · $48,065 Western New England University · $55,129 Nova Southeastern University · $48,558 University of Hartford · $57,415 National University · $51,710 University of Georgia · $53,968 Auburn University · $56,733 Pennsylvania State University · $55,799 Ohio State University · $42,933 Florida State University · $51,958 Texas Christian University · $56,521 New York University · $74,992 Boston University · $54,572 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $51,989 Art & Music: mean $53,639 Liberal Arts: mean $53,286 Public University: mean $54,321 Religious University: mean $51,921 Private University: mean $54,516 Top 61–100: mean $52,985 Top 21–60: mean $60,518 All colleges: p10 $46,929 All colleges: p90 $61,555
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Languages Education 366 2,271 17% / 83% 2% $52,431 95%
English Education 265 1,344 19% / 81% 1% $53,274 96%
World Language Education 1 146 5% / 95% 2% $40,720 91%
Teaching English as a Second Language 36 129 13% / 87% 16% $52,198 94%
Spanish Education 43 98 32% / 68% 0% $52,938 94%
English/Language Arts Teacher Education 45 90 14% / 86% 0% $52,347 90%
Spanish Language Teacher Education 58 71 15% / 85% 0% $55,177 96%
Bilingual Education 8 68 4% / 96% 7% $56,747 95%
English Language Arts Education 2 33 21% / 79% 3% $52,933 97%
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor 5 32 19% / 81% 0% $48,154 80%
English Teaching 2 30 13% / 87% 0% $48,396 100%
Integrated Language Arts/English Education 1 30 13% / 87% 0% $52,032 97%
Adolescence Education English 1 25 12% / 88% 0% $59,866 100%
Integrated English Language Arts Education (Grades 7-12) 1 23 9% / 91% 0% $49,369 96%
TESOL 3 17 18% / 82% 6% $56,540 89%
Language and Drama Education 7 16 19% / 81% 19% $53,901 96%
French Language Teacher Education 23 15 7% / 93% 0% $55,032 96%
Teacher Education: English Education 1 15 7% / 93% 0% $54,394 91%
Bilingual and Multilingual Education 11 12 33% / 67% 0% $54,346
English/Language Arts Education 1 12 50% / 50% 0% $49,294 99%
Spanish Teacher Education 1 10 40% / 60% 0% $59,046 95%
Foreign Language Teacher Education 14 8 25% / 75% 12% $53,684
Language Arts Education 3 7 14% / 86% 0% $51,215 98%
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages 1 7 0% / 100% 14% $50,099
Reading Teacher Education 4 6 0% / 100% 0% $51,344 91%
French Education 8 4 25% / 75% 0% $52,609 96%
German Language Teacher Education 7 4 25% / 75% 25% $54,040 98%
Speech Teacher Education 5 4 50% / 50% 0% $49,922
English Teacher Education 2 4 25% / 75% 0% $50,161 100%
Foreign Language Education 2 4 0% / 100% 0% $54,834 99%
Adolescence Education Spanish 1 3 33% / 67% 0% $59,866 100%
Languages and Literature Teaching 1 3 0% / 100% 0% $52,746 100%
Language Education 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $53,968 94%