Location: Bowling Green, KY•In-State Tuition: $11,436•Out-of-State Tuition: $27,000•Admission Rate: 97%•Avg SAT: 977
Median Earnings (1yr)
$24,967
10th percentile
60th percentile in Kentucky
Est. Median Debt
$21,534
Est. from national median (139 programs)
Sample: 18 graduates Limited data

Where Western Kentucky University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all romance languages, literatures, and linguistics bachelors's programs nationally

Western Kentucky University (estimated ±10%)Other romance languages, literatures, and linguistics programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Western Kentucky University graduates compare to all programs nationally

Western Kentucky University earns $25k — 10th percentile among romance languages, literatures, and linguistics bachelors programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Western Kentucky University$24,967$38,627+55%
Bucknell University$51,120$69,653+36%
Villanova University$45,088$69,309+54%
Cornell University$33,419$69,029+107%
Centre College$19,503$65,445+236%

Compare to Similar Programs in Kentucky

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Kentucky (19 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green$11,436$24,967$38,627$21,534*—
Centre CollegeDanville$50,550$19,503$65,445$23,480*1.20
National Median—$34,497—$22,722*0.66
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with romance languages, literatures, and linguistics graduates

Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Interpreters and Translators

Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.

$59,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Western Kentucky University, approximately 29% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 18 graduates with reported earnings and 16 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.