Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at University of Southern Indiana

Similar Romance Languages programs across Indiana suggest first-year earnings around $37,500, which puts University of Southern Indiana roughly in the middle of the state pack—though notably below Notre Dame and Butler graduates who start near $46,000. The estimated $19,500 in debt is actually lower than both the state and national medians for this field, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. That means if every dollar of first-year salary went to loans, you'd clear them in just over six months—a comfortable position by liberal arts standards.

The four-year earnings figure of $44,042 shows steady growth and suggests graduates find their footing after the initial year. For context, the national median for this bachelor's degree sits at $34,497, so comparable Indiana programs appear to outperform the broader landscape. This makes sense given the strong language education tradition in the state and relatively lower competition for bilingual roles in Midwest markets compared to coastal cities.

The key question is whether your student is pursuing this degree for language skills that will translate into specific career paths—education, translation, international business—or as a more general humanities credential. The modest debt burden makes this less of a high-stakes gamble than at pricier institutions, but the field remains narrow enough that clear career intentions matter. If your student has concrete plans for using language proficiency, the financial picture here is workable; if they're still exploring, the limited scale of this program (hence the suppressed data) suggests fewer on-campus resources than you'd find at larger state universities.