Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Vassar College

Vassar's Romance Languages program sits in the bottom quarter nationally and within New York State—its first-year median of $28,999 trails both the state median ($37,442) and national median ($34,497) by substantial margins. For a highly selective liberal arts college with an 18% admission rate, these outcomes fall short of what families might expect, particularly when Columbia and Colgate graduates in the same field earn nearly double right out of school.

The $19,000 debt load is reasonable—actually below both state and national medians—which helps offset the earnings gap. The 44% growth by year four brings graduates to $41,730, showing some recovery, but that still represents a modest income for someone four years into their career. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 isn't alarming, but the real question is whether this justifies Vassar's premium price tag.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, a few students pursuing graduate school or taking gap years could skew these numbers downward. But if your child is serious about Romance Languages at Vassar, understand you're paying elite-college tuition for below-average outcomes in this field. The broader Vassar network and credential may create opportunities these numbers don't capture, but the data suggests this particular major doesn't translate into immediate earning power.