Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at DePaul University

DePaul's Romance Languages program outperforms most comparable programs nationwide, placing graduates in the 73rd percentile nationally with first-year earnings of $39,207—well above the $34,497 national median. The debt load of $27,000 is remarkably manageable, ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally (meaning 95% of programs saddle students with more debt). However, the small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—means these figures could shift significantly year to year.

Within Illinois, the picture is more modest. While DePaul beats the state median by nearly $3,000, it lags behind Illinois State ($49,448) and Northern Illinois ($40,586). Still, the 28% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests graduates build valuable skills over time, reaching $50,296 by their fourth year post-graduation. The 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than 70% of their first year's salary—a comfortable starting point for loan repayment.

For parents concerned about liberal arts degrees, this program demonstrates that language studies can lead to solid early-career outcomes when debt is controlled. The low debt burden matters more than the modest starting salary, giving graduates financial flexibility to pursue teaching, translation, international business, or graduate studies without overwhelming loan payments.