Linguistics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
28
Optimistic
27
Base Case
23
Pessimistic
Earnings
$25,921/yr (-7% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market
Large (83,300 openings/yr)
ROI
8.2x earnings multiple (3.8x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Linguistics graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $528K | $524K | $483K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 8.3x | 8.2x | 7.5x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 3.8x | 3.8x | 3.5x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 43% | 38% | 28% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 28 | 27 | 23 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,016
Out-of-state: $138,004 (3.8x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,500
9.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$48,264
86% growth from Year 1
About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 44% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, serving a student body of 34,623 in Champaign, IL.
See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →Top Career Paths
Social scientists and related workers, all other
$100,340/yr
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
$78,270/yr
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
$77,010/yr
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Linguistics program score?
This program scores 27/100 — on the lower end for Linguistics. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Linguistics to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Linguistics careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →