Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at University of Denver

The University of Denver's Romance Languages program starts promisingly with first-year earnings of $41,865—well above the $34,497 national median for this major. That's the good news. The concerning part is what happens next: earnings drop to $38,020 by year four, a 9% decline that runs counter to the typical early-career trajectory. This backward slide is unusual enough to warrant serious conversation about career planning.

Within Colorado, this program sits at the 60th percentile, meaning it's roughly middle-of-the-pack among the state's 11 Romance Languages offerings. The debt load of $21,933 is manageable at half the first-year salary, but paired with declining earnings, it means the financial picture gets tighter rather than easier as graduates move into their late twenties. Nationally, the program punches above its weight at the 85th percentile, though that's partly because Romance Languages tends to be a lower-earning field overall.

For parents, the key question is whether your child has concrete plans beyond the major itself—graduate school, specific international career paths, or complementary skills in business or technology. The initial earning power suggests DU graduates are finding decent entry-level work, but they're not building momentum from there. Without a clear strategy for career progression, this major could become a financial constraint rather than a launching pad.