American Sign Language
Students study American Sign Language (ASL) linguistics, Deaf culture, interpretation techniques, and the sociological aspects of the Deaf community. Graduates typically pursue careers as ASL interpreters in healthcare, legal, educational, and corporate settings, as well as Deaf education teachers and accessibility coordinators. Certified ASL interpreters are in high demand, with the field offering flexible working arrangements and competitive pay.
What American Sign Language graduates do
Your command of American Sign Language can lead you directly into classrooms and communities. As a secondary school teacher, you’ll spend your days designing lessons on Deaf culture, guiding students through complex grammar, and grading video-based assignments, with opportunities to advance to a department lead. The other primary path is interpretation, where your work is dynamic: you might interpret for a patient in a hospital, for a witness in a courtroom, or for an executive in a business meeting. Entry-level community work often leads to specialized, high-stakes roles in legal or medical fields.
While most ASL-related teaching roles face slight headwinds, interpretation is seeing modest growth. However, AI is fundamentally reshaping the interpreter’s job. Automated tools will handle more routine tasks, likely reducing entry-level positions, and shifting your value to high-stakes situations requiring cultural nuance and critical judgment. In contrast, teaching remains a deeply human-centric field where AI is more of a supportive tool than a replacement, offering more stability against automation.
Students weighing American Sign Language often also consider East Asian Languages, Slavic Languages, and Germanic Languages — compare earnings, ROI, and AI outlook side by side.
Where American Sign Language graduates work
Common career paths for American Sign Language graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 88,500 combined openings per year across these roles.
| Role | Median Pay | Annual Openings | 10-yr Growth | AI Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Postsecondary teachers, all other
|
$78,490
$56K–$123K
|
13,500 | +1.8% | Low · 0% |
|
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
|
$77,010
$60K–$102K
|
1,900 | -0.2% | High · 53% |
|
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
|
$64,580
$58K–$83K
|
66,200 | -1.6% | Moderate · 33% |
|
Interpreters and translators
|
$59,440
$45K–$80K
|
6,900 | +1.7% | Very High · 88% |
Best schools for American Sign Language
Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 19.
| # | School | DW Score | 1-yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Albuquerque, NM · Public
|
37 | $33,300 | 9.3x |
| 6 |
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, OR · Public
|
35 | $31,576 | 9.6x |
| 7 |
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit
|
34 | $37,235 | 5.0x |
| 8 |
Kent State University at Kent
Kent, OH · Public
|
34 | $33,929 | 5.6x |
| 9 |
William Woods University
Fulton, MO · Private nonprofit
|
31 | $36,948 | 2.9x |
| 10 |
Bethel University
Mishawaka, IN · Private nonprofit
|
31 | $35,783 | 1.7x |
| 11 |
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT · Public
|
31 | $27,618 | 12.3x |
| 12 |
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit
|
30 | $32,117 | 2.8x |
| 13 |
Lamar University
Beaumont, TX · Public
|
29 | $27,330 | 6.9x |
| 14 |
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit
|
28 | $33,775 | 2.7x |
| 15 |
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA · Public
|
28 | $25,656 | 6.6x |
| 16 |
Madonna University
Livonia, MI · Private nonprofit
|
27 | $30,013 | 1.7x |
| 17 |
Keuka College
Keuka Park, NY · Private nonprofit
|
26 | $30,294 | 1.0x |
| 18 |
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit
|
23 | $31,969 | 1.2x |
| 19 |
St Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit
|
21 | $28,787 | 1.6x |
Highest Earnings Top 5
| Siena Heights University
MI |
$42,890 |
| Valdosta State University
GA |
$37,692 |
| Gallaudet University
DC |
$37,235 |
| William Woods University
MO |
$36,948 |
| Bethel University
IN |
$35,783 |
Best ROI Top 5
| Valdosta State University
GA |
14.7x |
| Utah Valley University
UT |
12.3x |
| University of North Florida
FL |
11.8x |
| Western Oregon University
OR |
9.6x |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus
NM |
9.3x |
Related majors
Similar fields of study often offered alongside American Sign Language.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in American Sign Language offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare American Sign Language trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about American Sign Language
What do American Sign Language graduates make in their first year?
Across 19 schools, American Sign Language graduates earn an average of $32,892 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $25,656 to $42,890 depending on the school.
Will AI affect American Sign Language careers?
AI exposure for American Sign Language is rated "High." With 49% of tasks potentially affected by large language models, some career functions face meaningful automation pressure in the coming decade.
Where should I study American Sign Language?
Valdosta State University leads all 19 programs with a DegreeOutlook Score of 45/100. Graduates earn $37,692/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.
What's the ROI on a American Sign Language degree?
The average 10-year earnings multiple is 5.7x tuition. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.