Romance Languages at University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
42
Optimistic
42
Base Case
33
Pessimistic
Earnings
$35,635/yr (3% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (58% exposed)
Job Market
Large (75,000 openings/yr)
ROI
9.5x earnings multiple (3.1x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Romance Languages graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $578K | $568K | $514K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.7x | 9.5x | 8.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.2x | 3.1x | 2.8x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 43% | 38% | 27% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 42 | 42 | 33 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$59,860
Out-of-state: $182,968 (3.1x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,601
5.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$60,275
69% growth from Year 1
About University of California-Santa Barbara
Admission to University of California-Santa Barbara is competitive, with 28% of applicants accepted, serving a student body of 23,205 in Santa Barbara, CA.
See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Santa Barbara →Top Career Paths
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
$77,010/yr
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
$64,580/yr
Interpreters and translators
$59,440/yr
Compare & Explore
Romance Languages at Other Schools
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Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does University of California-Santa Barbara's Romance Languages program score?
This program scores 42/100 — 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.
Why does University of California-Santa Barbara rank so high for Romance Languages?
The #40 ranking out of 198 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →