Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Arizona State University Campus Immersion

ASU's Romance Languages program starts strong at $42,436—substantially above both the national median of $34,497 and Arizona's state median of $38,460—but then earnings actually slip to $40,840 by year four. This puts graduates in the 88th percentile nationally, though they're closer to the middle of the pack (60th percentile) when compared to Arizona programs specifically. The debt load of $21,534 is reasonable, translating to a manageable 0.51 ratio against first-year earnings.

The earnings trajectory raises questions about career progression. While many humanities graduates see steady increases as they establish themselves in education, translation, or communications roles, this cohort's 4% dip suggests either career pivots or challenges in advancing within their initial positions. That said, the program still delivers significantly better outcomes than most Romance Languages programs nationally—you're paying a bit more debt than the typical Arizona program, but the first-year earnings advantage of $4,000 over the state median suggests strong initial placement.

For parents, this comes down to whether your student has a clear plan for leveraging language skills professionally. The early earnings are encouraging, but the debt shouldn't be much higher than this if career momentum isn't building by year four. The program works best for students targeting specific careers where Romance language expertise commands a premium—international business, government work, or graduate school pathways—rather than treating it as general-interest study.