Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Bowling Green's Romance Languages program ranks near the bottom nationally, landing in just the 5th percentile for earnings. While first-year graduates earn only $22,734—well below Ohio's median of $27,815 for this major—the small sample size (fewer than 30 graduates tracked) means these figures could shift significantly with more data. The 66% earnings jump to $37,629 by year four suggests eventual mobility, but students still lag behind peers at Miami University-Oxford ($39,220) and even Ohio State ($27,815).

The $26,500 debt load sits slightly below the state median but creates a concerning 1.17 debt-to-earnings ratio in that critical first year. Graduates might need to live at home or work multiple jobs initially to manage payments on roughly $23,000 in annual income. The strong earnings growth indicates this situation improves, though even the four-year mark barely reaches the national first-year median for this major.

For families considering this path, the thin data makes firm conclusions difficult, but the available evidence suggests this program underperforms most Ohio alternatives. If a student is passionate about Romance languages, looking at higher-ranked state options like Miami or Cincinnati—or waiting to see if more robust data tells a different story—makes sense before committing here.