Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at University of Delaware

University of Delaware's Romance Languages program outperforms the national median by about $1,800 in first-year earnings—a meaningful edge in a humanities field where graduates typically start around $35,000. With debt of $25,336, you're looking at a manageable 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio, better than the typical humanities graduate and roughly equivalent to needing 70% of a year's salary to cover loans. Among Delaware's two schools offering this major, UDel matches the state median, though the limited comparison makes this less telling than its national standing at the 59th percentile.

The real question is whether these starting numbers lead somewhere. Romance languages graduates often need graduate credentials or pivot into adjacent fields like education, business, or government to improve earnings. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) suggests this is a smaller cohort, which can mean tighter-knit faculty relationships but also more variable outcomes depending on each student's path.

For families comfortable with a humanities track, this program delivers slightly above-average results at below-average debt levels. The lower debt burden (33rd percentile nationally) provides flexibility for grad school or lower-paying early career roles while a graduate builds experience. Just understand that $36,000 starting salary is the baseline reality, not a launching point for quick financial returns.