Linguistic, Comparative, at Ohio State University-Main Campus

Ohio State's linguistics program starts graduates at barely above minimum wage ($27,788), but then something remarkable happens: earnings jump 52% by year four to reach $42,348. That trajectory outpaces most humanities degrees and suggests graduates are successfully pivoting into careers that value their analytical and communication skills—likely in tech, consulting, or specialized roles where language expertise commands a premium.

The $20,096 debt load is manageable given this earnings curve. While that first year looks tight financially, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 means graduates should be able to handle payments as their income rises. Among Ohio's 20 linguistics programs, this one sits right at the state median for both earnings and debt—middle of the pack, but at a flagship university with strong alumni networks and recruitment pipelines that appear to be paying off in those post-graduation years.

The real question is whether your student can weather that challenging first year out of college. If they're strategic about leveraging Ohio State's career services and internship opportunities to position themselves for those higher-paying roles, the investment pencils out. This isn't a get-rich-quick degree, but the upward earnings trend suggests it opens doors that many liberal arts programs don't.