Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Saint Johns University

Similar Romance language programs in Minnesota suggest first-year earnings around $35,000—roughly the state median—but that estimate deserves scrutiny given the program's small graduate cohort at Saint John's. The estimated debt load of $25,490 creates a 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe about nine months' salary. That's more manageable than many humanities programs nationally, though the estimated debt here runs slightly higher than the national median of $22,722.

The real concern isn't the numbers themselves but what they represent: Romance language programs often serve as stepping stones to graduate school, secondary education licensure, or international careers that don't materialize in first-year earnings data. If your child plans to teach, translate, or pursue graduate work, that $35,000 figure severely understates their eventual career trajectory. But if they're graduating with a language degree and no clear next step, comparable Minnesota programs show a range from $32,000 to nearly $42,000—suggesting that outcomes vary dramatically by how students position their language skills in the job market.

Before committing, pin down what Saint John's specific graduates actually do after graduation. The suppressed data means we're flying blind on actual outcomes here. Talk to the department about placement records, graduate school acceptance rates, and whether their students typically need additional credentials to launch careers. A language degree's value depends almost entirely on what you build around it.