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Foreign Languages · Romance Languages Rank #51 of 198

Romance Languagesat University of Virginia-Main Campus

Graduates earn $38,269/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Romance Languages average. Base-case 10-year earnings $587K; scenarios range from $528K to $600K depending on AI disruption.

Charlottesville, VA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
42 AVERAGE
43
Optimistic
33
Pessimistic
Earnings
$38,269
1-year post-graduation
ROI
6.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$587K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Virginia

Your degree from a top-tier institution like UVA in Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics provides a robust foundation, even in a field often perceived as less directly vocational. The strong academic rigor and UVA's reputation mean you're developing critical thinking, communication, and cultural fluency skills highly valued by employers across various sectors, not just those explicitly tied to language. While the career paths you see on this page are common, many graduates leverage these skills in international relations, non-profit work, publishing, or even government roles, particularly with D.C.'s proximity. The program's quality and the strong alumni network help open doors. Given the evolving landscape for language-specific roles, your real-world value will increasingly come from blending your linguistic and cultural expertise with other marketable skills, making you more adaptable. Consider a minor or certificate in a complementary field like business, public policy, or data science to maximize your career flexibility.

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
$528K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple6.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$587K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple7.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$600K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score43/100
Earnings Multiple7.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Virginia'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 University of Virginia 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 University of Virginia

Other top programs at University of Virginia

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Virginia, 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 University of Virginia

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Romance Languages at University of Virginia-Main Campus?

A score of 42/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Romance Languages. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

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 $527,524 in decade earnings vs $600,140 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.