Linguistic, Comparative, at Wayne State University

Wayne State's comparative linguistics program shows earnings that should concern any parent, though the small graduating class (under 30 students) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. At $20,939 one year out, graduates earn about $3,400 less than the Michigan median for this degree and roughly $6,500 below the national average. While the program sits at the 40th percentile statewide—essentially middle-of-the-pack among Michigan schools—it ranks in just the 13th percentile nationally, suggesting most comparable programs elsewhere deliver better early-career outcomes.

The one bright spot is manageable debt: $25,924 sits near both state and national medians for this field, and it's lower than what many Michigan linguistics programs charge. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.24 means graduates owe slightly more than their first-year salary—not catastrophic, but tight when that salary barely exceeds $20,000. For context, University of Michigan linguistics graduates earn about $7,000 more annually, which compounds dramatically over a career.

The small sample size is the wild card here. These numbers could reflect a particularly rough cohort rather than systemic issues. However, until Wayne State demonstrates stronger placement outcomes with more graduates, parents should consider this a high-risk choice unless their student has clear graduate school plans or sees this as preparation for advanced study rather than direct employment.