Linguistic, Comparative, at University of Vermont

That $14,094 first-year salary should alarm any parent considering this program. Even accounting for the small sample size (fewer than 30 graduates), earning half the national median for linguistics majors represents a significant risk. The debt burden of $21,625 might look reasonable in isolation, but it means graduates owe 1.5 times their annual earnings—a challenging position when many entry-level jobs barely cover basic living expenses in Burlington.

The state context offers little comfort here. While this program ranks at the 60th percentile among Vermont's three linguistics programs, that's a function of Vermont's limited offerings rather than any particular strength. Nationally, it sits in the bottom 5% for earnings, suggesting graduates face systematic challenges in the job market that go beyond typical post-graduation adjustment periods. The University of Vermont attracts solid students (average SAT of 1357), but those credentials aren't translating into competitive outcomes for this particular major.

The small cohort size means these numbers could swing dramatically year to year—a few graduates in graduate school or unpaid internships could depress the median significantly. However, that volatility cuts both ways and doesn't change the fundamental concern: at this earnings level, even modest student debt becomes burdensome. Parents should understand their child would likely need significant financial support or alternative income sources in that first year after graduation.