Linguistic, Comparative, at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A linguistics degree from this Big Ten institution lands graduates below the national median but right at the state average—earning $25,921 in their first year while carrying $19,500 in debt. That 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in manageable territory, though the low absolute earnings mean graduates may still feel financially stretched in their early careers.

The small sample size here matters: with fewer than 30 recent graduates tracked, these numbers could shift dramatically year to year. What's notable is that UIUC students enter with strong credentials (1418 SAT average) but end up earning less than their peers at Western Illinois University, who make $37,155 in comparable programs—a $11,000 gap that's hard to ignore. The relatively lower debt compared to the Illinois median ($24,500) provides some breathing room, but it doesn't offset the earnings disadvantage.

For a parent, this comes down to expectations: if your student is passionate about linguistics and views this as preparation for graduate school or a specialized career path, UIUC's academic reputation may justify the investment. But purely as an earnings proposition in the first year after graduation, comparable programs in Illinois deliver similar or better outcomes at lower costs. The real question is what comes next—because $26,000 won't comfortably service even moderate debt without significant career progression.