Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame's Romance Languages program places graduates 33% above the national median for their field—a substantial premium that matters in a traditionally lower-earning discipline. First-year earnings of $46,030 beat 95% of similar programs nationwide, though within Indiana's competitive landscape, this ranks only around the 60th percentile. Still, you're looking at a $4,500-per-year advantage over the typical Indiana graduate in this major.

The real story is trajectory. Earnings jump 41% to $65,050 by year four, suggesting Notre Dame's network and institutional prestige open doors that compound over time. The $19,250 debt load—lower than both national and state averages—creates a manageable 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio. For context, that means your child would owe less than five months of their first-year salary, well within the "affordable debt" threshold.

The catch: this is an elite-access program at a 12% acceptance rate school. If your child gets in, they're likely capable of higher-earning fields. The question becomes whether passion for languages justifies earnings below what many other Notre Dame majors deliver. But among students committed to this discipline, few programs offer better outcomes.