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Romance Languages & Literatures at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $35,720/yr (3% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (58% exposed)

Job Market Large (75,000 openings/yr)

ROI 12.7x earnings multiple (3.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #17 of 198 Romance Languages & Literatures programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Romance Languages & Literatures graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$581K	$570K	$516K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.0x	12.7x	11.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	3.6x	3.5x	3.2x
Probability of Field Employment	43%	38%	27%
DegreeOutlook Score	46	46	37

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$44,820

Out-of-state: $162,412 (3.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$67,712

-51% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,000

6.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$60,761

70% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $35,720 track close to the $34,637 national median for Romance Languages & Literatures programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Romance Languages & Literatures programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Romance Languages & Literatures's typical career paths, with 58% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $20,000 represents roughly 7 months of the $35,720 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #17 of 198 programs, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Romance Languages & Literatures program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $60,761 show a 70% jump from the $35,720 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About University of Wisconsin-Madison

With a 43% acceptance rate, University of Wisconsin-Madison is moderately selective, one of the larger campuses at 35,665 students in Madison, WI.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Wisconsin-Madison →

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

View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

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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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Romance Languages & Literatures at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

A score of 46/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Romance Languages & Literatures. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Romance Languages & Literatures careers?

With 58% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $515,754 in decade earnings vs $581,425 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →