East Asian Languagesat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $23,980/yr in their first year — about 17.0% below the national East Asian Languages average. Base-case 10-year earnings $595K; scenarios range from $534K to $610K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
Pursuing East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at a globally recognized institution like UCLA offers an unparalleled depth of cultural and linguistic understanding. Your foundational knowledge will be exceptional, positioning you for careers in education, diplomacy, or cultural exchange. However, many roles directly leveraging these skills, such as early-career interpreting or teaching, historically see more moderate compensation, particularly when compared to highly specialized technical fields.
The dynamic Los Angeles market, with its strong ties to East Asia, presents unique opportunities in global business, entertainment, and non-profits, but success often requires more than just language proficiency. Your degree provides invaluable cultural competency and critical thinking, highly prized by employers like international NGOs, publishing houses, or tech companies engaging with East Asian markets. The evolving nature of language-centric careers means a robust skillset is key. To maximize your career trajectory, consider pairing your linguistic expertise with practical skills in areas like data analysis, digital media, or international business through internships or a complementary minor.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UCLA's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering East Asian Languages
How UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UCLA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about East Asian Languages at UCLA
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for East Asian Languages at University of California-Los Angeles?
A score of 32/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for East Asian Languages. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace East Asian Languages careers?
With 58% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $533,630 in decade earnings vs $609,852 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with East Asian Languages from University of California-Los Angeles?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.