### SUMMARY

 A degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures is not only a valuable choice, but generally an essential first step for students wanting to pursue a career as a language specialist, a foreign language pathologist, or a computational linguist. Interestingly, foreign languages and literatures is a very rare degree coming in at the 143rd most popular area of study. In the last year, there were 2,228 foreign languages and literatures diplomas received. In-state tuition for foreign languages and literatures at private universities is, on average, 4.5 times more spendy than their public counterparts.

 There are 206 colleges which offer foreign languages and literatures. This number of universities is on par with other degrees offered in the United States. If you are hoping to surround yourself with other foreign languages and literatures students, consider schools in Virginia which have more undergraduates admitted to foreign languages and literatures than any other state. More generally, the best region to get a degree in foreign languages and literatures is in the Southeast region with [North Carolina State University at Raleigh](/colleges/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh), [The University of Tennessee-Knoxville](/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville), and [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the top conference to major in foreign languages and literatures is the Atlantic Coast Conference with [North Carolina State University at Raleigh](/colleges/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh), [Clemson University](/colleges/clemson-university), and [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) representing the conference. That being said, our choice for the best university for foreign languages and literatures is [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). You might also want to check out our list of [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The objectively best school might not actually be the 'best' school for every student. There can be many more angels to consider when selecting ​university. External stuff like campus amenities, transportation services, and food could definitely change your feelings of where to go to university. At authority.org, we evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you want to know which foreign languages and literatures university is home to the best campus, the answer is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university). If you are very interested in which school is home to the finest campus, then we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through government databases, student reviews, professor reviews, and more to compare every major in the United States in an unbiased and informative way. You can explore our well researched list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and, from that list, our pick for the school with the best student life for foreign languages and literatures is [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill). Are you curious why? Keep scrolling to discover more about Authority's top recommendations. Many of our conclusions will probably shock you.

 If price is a major deciding factor in your choice of where you attend school, you might consider avoiding [Kenyon College](/colleges/kenyon-college). [Kenyon College](/colleges/kenyon-college)&nbspis our most expensive school for foreign languages and literatures, at least regarding out of state enrollment. We have a list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the price tag of [Kenyon College](/colleges/kenyon-college)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you could want to know that foreign languages and literatures is the 287th most expensive degree in the nation, with an average associated cost of $25,300. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for foreign languages and literatures in the nation is Ohio with costs at the main school, Kenyon College, of $56,340. Even more broadly, the most costly region of the U.S. for foreign languages and literatures is unfortunately unavailable due to missing data.

 Our cheapest region for foreign languages and literatures is the Great Lakes region which is represented by [Eastern Illinois University](/colleges/eastern-illinois-university) with a cost of $11,045, [Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville](/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) with a cost of $8,345, and [Western Illinois University](/colleges/western-illinois-university) with a cost of $8,627. On the bright side, the most affordable school for foreign languages and literatures is [Citadel Military College of South Carolina](/colleges/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina). Our full list of the most affordable schools can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can expect to pay around $10,100 for a degree in foreign languages and literatures. The cost increases substantially to an average of $24,000 for the out-of-state public-school undergraduate. As such, you might be interested in our choice for the college with the best value for foreign languages and literatures: [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). Through this link you will find our comprehensive list for the universities we see as being the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Do know, this section is based on being an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when it comes to in-state tuition, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for foreign languages and literatures students vary widely, but within two-years of finishing the degree students will often make around $53,600. There can be a lot of variation in earnings potential; highest paid earners can bring in up to $98,300. Straight out of university, the minimum earning jobs within the foreign languages and literatures field earn $29,500, which is an alright wage. The top earning grads from foreign languages and literatures graduated from [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university)&nbspand if you want to find the colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The all-around diversity of foreign languages and literatures ranks decent, falling within the 53rd percentile of majors nationally. The college with the highest composite diversity for foreign languages and literatures is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list of the universities which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of Foreign Languages and Literatures only is in the 87th percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is even less in the 58th percentile. White undergraduates compose the largest share at 57% of students majoring in foreign languages and literatures. Additionally, 71% of students seeking a foreign languages and literatures degree are women.

 The median ranking of foreign languages and literatures professors is 4.2 stars, a ranking which is 5% higher than the average across every major; this is a good ranking. If you are looking for the most popular foreign languages and literatures instructor in the nation, consider looking up Connie Kihyet at [Saddleback College](/colleges/saddleback-college). It might be surprising, but the best rated instructors of foreign languages and literatures according to students are at [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). If we including data other than simply rankings we find that the university possessing the overall best instructors for foreign languages and literatures is [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). You will find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with many of the top examples of professors nationwide.

 Finally, the hardest college to get into for foreign languages and literatures is [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we have a comprehensive list of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, here at Authority we do hope you believe that considering the higher education world with a perspective only built on superlatives might create issues. We at Authority hope you explore our other pages on different topics and peruse some of our background pages on useful details to consider as your university search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Foreign languages and literatures is the 143rd most popular degree in America, with 2,228 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #144 [Middle School Education and Teaching](/rankings/best-colleges-for-middle-school-education-and-teaching), and narrowly lost to #142 [Public Policy Analysis](/rankings/best-colleges-for-public-policy-analysis).

 The degree is offered at a total of 206 colleges across the nation, and is the 99th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 11% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that a little above five sixths of colleges offering foreign languages and literatures are public making it a very accessible field.

 The southeast produces the most foreign languages and literatures graduates, largely led by [North Carolina State University at Raleigh](/colleges/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh), while it’s the Atlantic Coast Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, Virginia ranks highest, with particular help from [George Mason University](/colleges/george-mason-university) and [James Madison University](/colleges/james-madison-university).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more foreign languages and literatures graduates than [Eastern Arizona College](/colleges/eastern-arizona-college), which graduated 96 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study foreign languages and literatures). More students studied foreign languages and literatures as a percentage of total students at [New College of Florida](/colleges/new-college-of-florida) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Foreign languages and literatures is the 287th most expensive major in the US, with a median cost of $25,286 for the top 50 programs (just ahead of #288, [Pre-Law Studies](rankings/best-colleges-for-pre-law-studies), with a median cost of $25,270).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top 50 foreign languages and literatures programs predominantly led by [University of Massachusetts-Lowell](/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-lowell) with an annual cost of $33,004. Ohio is the most expensive state for foreign languages and literatures led by [Kenyon College](/colleges/kenyon-college).

 Public schools with solid programs generally charge 77.8% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 47.36% less than your average private school. So be sure to check out public shools in your state sooner rather than later.

 The most high-priced option in the top 25 is [Kenyon College](/colleges/kenyon-college), which is the 25th most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Citadel Military College of South Carolina](/colleges/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina). It costs just $75 per year and is its foreign languages and literatures program is ranked #15. Another more affordable option would be #19, [University of South Florida-Main Campus](/colleges/university-of-south-florida-main-campus) in Hillsborough County, FL with a cost of $4,559 for in-state students and $15,473 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Begining college is a serious investment for most undergraduates. It is important to be confident you get a high return on your investment. We wish for the following career and earnings info to aid you in making an informed decision when picking your major.

 Just after university, Foreign Languages and Literatures graduates earn $28,699 per year on average (bottom 15%). Later on in their vocations, they by and large bring in anywhere between $29,546 and $98,279, but average near $53,580. To put it in context, that is 39% more than the American average.

 The most common job placement for a Foreign Languages and Literatures graduate is Consultant, which for the most part make roughly $56,000; next are Data Analyst and High School Teacher, which predominantly make approximately $51,000 and $34,000 respectively.

 The Mid East has the most well paid Foreign Languages and Literatures graduates. GA has the highest grossing Foreign Languages and Literatures graduates of any state. The best paid conference for Foreign Languages and Literatures graduates is Peach Belt Conference.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Foreign Languages and Literatures: Median Professor Rating: 4.2 / 5, which is Top 100.

 Instructors consistently play an important role in your college experience, regardless of your major. An amazing instructor might help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem easy. Contrarily, a bad professor can disenchant you from an entire field or even worse... flunk you!

 Foreign Languages and Literatures professors have a median student rating of 4.2 / 5, putting them in 88th place in the United States grounded in student satisfaction. For context a 4.2 rating is 5% above the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Foreign Languages and Literatures just out-ranked those from ["Native American Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-native-american-studies), whereas ["Music"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-music)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Foreign Languages and Literatures.

 Now for some statistics about Foreign Languages and Literatures professors. Colleges located in remote rural areas tend to have the best Foreign Languages and Literatures professors. The Independent Northeast Region has the highest rated Foreign Languages and Literatures professors. The Rocky Mountains region has the highest rated Foreign Languages and Literatures professors. Public universities tend to have higher rated Foreign Languages and Literatures professors than private universities. Finally, Alaska has the highest rated Foreign Languages and Literatures professors in the nation.

 Connie Kihyet, professor at [Saddleback College](/colleges/saddleback-college)&nbspin Mission Viejo, CA is the most popular Foreign Languages and Literatures professor in America. Emmanuel Giannet, instructor at [Pasco-Hernando State College](/colleges/pasco-hernando-state-college)&nbspin New Port Richey, FL is the highest rated Foreign Languages and Literatures professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Take a look at which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be an especially impactful period of one's life; it is an occasion for individual progress and development. Undergraduates attempt to ascertain who they hope to become and learn many of the underlying skills to become a prosperous member of society. But growth goes far beyond a classroom environment - the conversations one has with his schoolmates, the nugget of wisdom learned from an old professor, the exposure to a different view. As such, a diverse student population tremendously improves what one gains from the time spent in school.

 Foreign Languages and Literatures is a slightly more ethnically diverse subject than average\*. 57% of the nation's Foreign Languages and Literatures majors are white students, followed by latino students (26%), students of other races\*\*(10%), and black students (5%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [George Mason University](/colleges/george-mason-university)&nbspin Fairfax, VA.

 Furthermore, Foreign Languages and Literatures significatly skews female, with 71% of students majoring in Foreign Languages and Literatures identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [University of Idaho](/colleges/university-of-idaho) in Moscow, ID.

 Another significant type of diversity is financial diversity. Foreign Languages and Literatures is more financially diverse than 87% of subjects. 29% of its majors come from families earning less than $30,000 a year, 17% are from households who take home between $30,000 and $48,000 a year, and 23% grew up in homes earning north of $110,000 per year. [University of Alabama in Huntsville](/colleges/university-of-alabama-in-huntsville) has the most socioeconomically diverse students in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall NY is the most diverse state for Foreign Languages and Literatures. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the University Athletic Association is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 3%
* Black: 5%
* Latino: 26%
* White: 57%
* Other: 10%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 29%
* Female: 71%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 29%
* 30k - 48k: 17%
* 48k - 75k: 17%
* 75k - 110k: 15%
* Over 110k: 23%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 79%
* Out of State: 18%
* International: 3%


University of California-Los Angeles

University of Chicago

Columbia University in the City of New York

Stanford University

Princeton University

Vanderbilt University

Harvard University

Georgetown University

Duke University

Yale University

Washington University in St Louis

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Pomona College

Northwestern University

Tufts University

Emory University

Williams College

Rice University

Wellesley College

Johns Hopkins University

Dartmouth College

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Notre Dame

Washington and Lee University

Middlebury College

Search for the best Foreign Languages and Literatures colleges according to your filter parameters.

Top 25 Best Colleges for Foreign Languages and Literatures

Foreign Languages and Literatures

Best Colleges for Foreign Languages and Literatures

There are about 10,021 students enrolled in Foreign Languages and Literatures in the USA.

2024 Best Colleges for Foreign Languages and Literatures

2023 Foreign Languages and Literatures Cost

There are about 10,021 students enrolled in Foreign Languages and Literatures in the USA.

COST