Bachelor's-2% vs national median596 grads tracked
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Northern Illinois University
Ranked 91st of 222 bachelor's programs in Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$40,559
middle 50%: $29,221 – $52,969
Median · 5 years out
$56,877
middle 50%: $43,845 – $71,805
Median · 10 years out
$67,850
middle 50%: $51,419 – $89,723
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
First-year median salaries for Romance Languages majors are $41k. Mid-career pay sits at $57k, rising to $68k after a decade.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
7.3 yrs
≈ $8,496 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Colorado Boulder
$57,520 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Albany
$57,518 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Oneonta
$57,417 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
$57,372 · 5 yrs out
Wheaton College
$57,175 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at El Paso
$57,175 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Brooklyn College
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse
$56,666 · 5 yrs out
Sam Houston State University
$56,654 · 5 yrs out
DePaul University
$56,620 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York College at Potsdam
$56,406 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at San Antonio
$56,386 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Northern Illinois University
Education (Doctorate)
$119,874 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$115,599 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$111,551 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$111,291 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$109,443 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$102,156 · 5 yrs out
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,392 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$97,297 · 5 yrs out
Public Administration and Social Service Professions (Master's)
$95,329 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$95,041 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$93,400 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$92,787 · 5 yrs out
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