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Foreign Languages · Romance Languages Rank #175 of 198

Romance Languagesat Smith College

Graduates earn $35,407/yr in their first year — about 2.0% above the national Romance Languages average. Base-case 10-year earnings $524K; scenarios range from $483K to $529K depending on AI disruption.

Northampton, MA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
25 AT RISK
25
Optimistic
16
Pessimistic
Earnings
$35,407
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.1x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$524K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Smith College

Your degree from Smith's Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics program equips you with highly transferable analytical, communication, and cross-cultural skills. While direct paths like teaching or translation exist, the initial earnings reflect a diverse array of early-career roles often leveraging your critical thinking in fields like publishing, non-profits, or international relations, rather than highly specialized vocations. Smith's strong academic reputation and alumni network in the competitive New England market open doors, allowing graduates to build foundations for later career growth, often after gaining experience or pursuing further education.

Regarding AI risk, while technology can assist with translation or basic language tasks, the humanistic core of your degree — understanding cultural nuance, complex communication, and interpersonal teaching — remains invaluable. To maximize your prospects, actively seek internships that apply your linguistic and cultural expertise in practical settings, like international organizations, local non-profits, or educational institutions, to complement your academic foundation.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$483K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score16/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$524K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score25/100
Earnings Multiple2.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$529K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score25/100
Earnings Multiple2.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Smith College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Romance Languages graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
-0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,900 openings/yr
$77,010/yr
High
2
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
3
Interpreters and translators
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 6,900 openings/yr
$59,440/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Romance Languages

How Smith College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Bentley University
MA · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$67K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
Top score
University of Rhode Island
RI · Public
53
DW Score
$59K
1-yr earn
9.0x
ROI
Southern Methodist University
TX · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
Columbia University in the City of New York
NY · Private nonprofit
43
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
Colgate University
NY · Private nonprofit
43
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
2.0x
ROI
Also at Smith College

Other top programs at Smith College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Smith College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Romance Languages offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Romance Languages trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Romance Languages at Smith College

How does Smith College's Romance Languages program score?

This program scores 25/100 — on the lower end for Romance Languages. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Romance Languages to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Romance Languages careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 58% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

How affordable is Romance Languages at Smith College after financial aid?

Sticker price is $246,272, but the average net cost is $104,724 — a 57% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.