Linguistic, Comparative, at California State University-Fullerton

That $22,723 first-year salary is genuinely concerning—this linguistics degree from Cal State Fullerton lands in just the 21st percentile nationally for this field. While it performs at the California median, that's cold comfort when the state's typical linguistics graduate also struggles to break $23,000. For context, UCLA linguistics grads earn $30,524 their first year, and even that represents a steep climb in this field. With nearly half of Fullerton's students on Pell grants, a program producing these outcomes is particularly worrying for families without financial cushions.

The relatively modest $15,833 debt helps—it's actually below California's median for the program—but a 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio still means your child would owe roughly eight months of their first year's salary. That's manageable compared to some programs, but only if those earnings grow substantially over time. The real issue is the earnings floor: $22,723 barely covers basic living expenses in Southern California, let alone student loan payments.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift considerably year to year, but that's not reassuring—it might simply reflect how few students complete this program. If your child is passionate about linguistics, they should understand this is fundamentally a stepping-stone degree requiring graduate school or a career pivot to reach financial stability. As a terminal bachelor's degree, it's a risky investment even at in-state tuition rates.