Best Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
24
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$225,530
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$36,116
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Sonoma State University
Grad rate: 60.1% |
-$4,423 | $47,891 | $24,739 | $17,250 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
-$11,142 | $50,767 | $42,708 | $11,593 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of Redlands
Grad rate: 69.0% |
-$16,582 | $57,040 | $70,233 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
-$96,496 | $41,101 | $16,767 | $8,480 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$113,625 | $54,630 | $84,678 | $20,380 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of California-Santa Barbara
Grad rate: 85.5% |
-$116,876 | $44,609 | $36,776 | $16,261 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
California State University-Northridge
Grad rate: 56.1% |
-$142,546 | $39,961 | $20,317 | $15,184 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
San Francisco State University
Grad rate: 52.2% |
-$164,779 | $39,842 | $25,258 | $15,250 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
California State University-Chico
Grad rate: 63.9% |
-$167,760 | $39,891 | $25,590 | $17,200 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
-$185,547 | $41,047 | $36,643 | $14,752 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University-San Marcos
Grad rate: 55.3% |
-$204,701 | $36,500 | $21,144 | $7,500 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
California State University-San Bernardino
Grad rate: 54.5% |
-$211,045 | $35,570 | $16,910 | $10,967 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
University of the Pacific
Grad rate: 70.5% |
-$225,894 | $45,943 | $68,173 | $23,750 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$261,169 | $36,807 | $36,121 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
California State University-Long Beach
Grad rate: 71.3% |
-$274,357 | $33,036 | $20,310 | $10,250 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Degrees by State
Browse Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.