Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at College of the Holy Cross

Holy Cross graduates with Romance Languages degrees earn significantly more than their peers—$52,210 just one year out, putting them in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among Massachusetts programs. That's roughly 50% above the national median for this field and well above the state median of $40,405. Only Bentley's program shows stronger first-year outcomes in Massachusetts, though that comparison involves different institutional missions and likely different career paths. The $64,858 median at year four represents solid 24% growth, suggesting these graduates build momentum early in their careers rather than plateauing.

The debt burden of $26,975 translates to a 0.52 ratio against first-year earnings—manageable territory that's actually below the national median debt for this degree. For context, this is a selective liberal arts college (21% admission rate) where 85% of students don't qualify for Pell grants, so family resources often supplement or replace borrowing. The combination of strong alumni networks, preparation for competitive graduate programs, and access to professional opportunities in Boston appears to translate into real earning power that many Romance language programs struggle to deliver.

This represents one of the better outcomes you'll find for this major nationally. If your child is genuinely drawn to language and literature studies, Holy Cross demonstrates you don't have to sacrifice earning potential completely, though they'll still trail technical and business majors at the same institution.