Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Clemson University

Clemson's Romance Languages program edges out most competitors in South Carolina, landing at the 60th percentile statewide—though that comparison comes with a big asterisk. With fewer than 30 recent graduates tracked, these numbers could swing significantly with just a few data points. Still, the $39,209 first-year salary essentially matches top-performing Wofford College and sits well above both the state median ($35,856) and the national average ($34,497).

The debt picture looks manageable at $26,500, which is actually below the national median for this degree despite Clemson being a flagship research university. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 means graduates would allocate roughly two-thirds of their first-year salary to pay off loans—higher than ideal, but not insurmountable for a humanities degree. The low national debt percentile (26th) confirms Clemson keeps borrowing in check compared to peer programs.

The critical question is whether your child sees this as a launching pad for graduate school, international careers, or teaching—paths where language skills compound in value over time. The small cohort size suggests this is a niche program at Clemson, which could mean tight-knit instruction but also limited career services specific to language majors. If your student is committed to Romance languages specifically and wants a larger university experience, the combination of competitive earnings and reasonable debt makes this workable, but verify current cohort size and post-graduation outcomes directly with the department.