Linguistic, Comparative, at University of California-Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz's linguistics program starts graduates at just $21,793—below both the national and California medians—but the story changes dramatically by year four, when earnings jump to nearly $39,000. That 78% earnings growth suggests graduates are finding their footing after an initially difficult job market, though it takes several years to get there. Among California's 32 linguistics programs, this ranks dead center (40th percentile), trailing UCLA and UC Berkeley by significant margins but remaining competitive with other state options.

The debt load is manageable at $17,491, actually lower than both state and national averages for this field. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 in year one, graduates face real financial pressure early on—but as earnings grow, that burden becomes more sustainable. The small number of observations means these figures are reliable, not based on a handful of outliers.

For parents, the key question is whether your child can weather those first few years. If they have family support or minimal living expenses while building their career, this could work out fine—especially given the below-average debt. But if they need to be financially independent immediately after graduation, starting at $21,793 will be genuinely difficult, particularly in California's high-cost markets. The program eventually delivers decent outcomes, but only for those who can afford the slow start.