Linguistic, Comparative, at California State University-Long Beach

The $18,393 first-year earnings figure is startling—among the lowest 5% nationally for linguistics programs—but the trajectory tells a more nuanced story. By year four, graduates reach $34,682, representing 89% growth and overtaking both the California median ($22,723) and national benchmark ($27,449). This suggests many graduates may be starting in entry-level positions or continuing education before entering their primary careers, a pattern worth understanding before dismissing the program outright.

The manageable $12,580 debt load—below both state and national medians—provides crucial breathing room during those lean early years. That first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 looks reasonable on paper but masks the reality that recent graduates are earning barely above minimum wage initially. The program's 25th percentile ranking among California linguistics programs suggests this early-career struggle isn't unique to CSU Long Beach, though top UC campuses show first-year earnings nearly double what Long Beach graduates see.

For families, the key question is whether your student can weather 2-3 years of very modest earnings. If they have family support or flexibility to pursue internships and build experience, the strong mid-career rebound makes this viable. If they need immediate income after graduation, the early earning years present a genuine hardship despite the eventual recovery.