Romance Languagesat University of South Carolina-Columbia
Graduates earn $21,411/yr in their first year — about 38.0% below the national Romance Languages average. Base-case 10-year earnings $643K; scenarios range from $568K to $664K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of South Carolina
This degree from the University of South Carolina-Columbia places you in a distinct regional market. While a Romance Languages background offers rich cultural insights and strong analytical skills, the local economy in South Carolina may not generate the same demand for specialized language professionals as major international hubs. Many graduates find fulfilling careers in education, both in K-12 and postsecondary settings, or in translation, often within public sector roles where compensation structures can differ from national averages.
Furthermore, the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence poses a significant challenge, particularly for roles involving direct language translation, which AI can increasingly handle. Success in this field often means leveraging your cultural fluency and nuanced communication skills in contexts where human understanding is irreplaceable, such as high-stakes interpreting or culturally-informed content creation. To maximize your prospects, consider pairing your language expertise with a complementary field like business, technology, or international relations to open doors to more diverse and robust career paths.
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 University of South Carolina'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 Romance Languages
How University of South Carolina stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of South Carolina
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of South Carolina, 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 →Frequently asked about Romance Languages at University of South Carolina
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Romance Languages at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
A score of 33/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Romance Languages. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is Romance Languages at University of South Carolina-Columbia worth the student debt?
Median debt of $22,590 against $21,411/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.
Will AI replace Romance Languages careers?
With 58% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $567,835 in decade earnings vs $664,250 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Romance Languages from University of South Carolina-Columbia?
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.