Linguistic, Comparative, at California State University-San Bernardino

Graduating with $16,449 in debt to earn $24,961 within a year sounds concerning at first glance—it's below the national median for linguistics programs. But here's what matters for California families: among 32 linguistics programs statewide, this lands at the 60th percentile for earnings while keeping debt 20% below the state median. At an institution serving primarily working-class students (57% receive Pell grants), that combination deserves credit. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 means your child could feasibly manage these loans, though $25,000 annually requires careful budgeting.

The major caveat is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one or two outliers could skew these numbers significantly. What we can say: while UC campuses predictably show stronger earnings (UCLA grads average $30,524), Cal State San Bernardino delivers middle-of-the-pack results at a fraction of the cost and with near-open admission. For a student interested in linguistics who needs to stay close to home or values accessibility, this represents a manageable financial path into the field.

The real question isn't whether these numbers sparkle—they don't. It's whether your child has a clear plan for what comes after graduation. Linguistics grads often pursue graduate work, teaching credentials, or adjacent careers where the bachelor's is just step one. If that's the trajectory, keeping debt under $17,000 while building foundational skills could prove strategically sound.