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Romance Languages & Literatures at California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
45 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
45
Optimistic
45
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings $34,117/yr (-2% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (58% exposed)
Job Market Large (75,000 openings/yr)
ROI 17.5x earnings multiple (6.8x out-of-state)
Ranked #19 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 $537K $531K $488K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.6x 17.5x 16.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 6.8x 6.3x
Probability of Field Employment 43% 38% 27%
DegreeOutlook Score 45 45 36

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,408
Out-of-state: $77,928 (6.8x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$42,048
-38% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,000
6.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$53,378
56% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $34,117/yr, Romance Languages & Literatures graduates from California State University-Sacramento land near the $34,637 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 17.5x 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 9% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $18,000 represents roughly 6 months of the $34,117 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #19 of 198 programs, California State University-Sacramento's Romance Languages & Literatures program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $53,378 show a 56% jump from the $34,117 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About California State University-Sacramento

With 94% of applicants admitted, California State University-Sacramento prioritizes broad access, serving a student body of 27,867 in Sacramento, CA. 49% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Sacramento →

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

Compare this program → View all 198 schools offering Romance Languages & Literatures →

Romance Languages & Literatures at Other Schools

Bentley University ($66,917) University of Rhode Island ($59,220) Southern Methodist University ($57,858) Columbia University in the City of New York ($54,327) Colgate University ($53,541) College of the Holy Cross ($52,210) Bucknell University ($51,120) Illinois State University ($49,448)

Compare Romance Languages & Literatures

California State University-Sacramento vs University of Rhode Island →

Other Majors at California State University-Sacramento

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($116,001) Construction Engineering ($90,836) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($74,450) Civil Engineering ($71,342) Mechanical Engineering ($66,462) Computer Engineering ($66,266) Computer Science ($60,028) Interior Architecture ($50,108)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Romance Languages & Literatures trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Romance Languages & Literatures at California State University-Sacramento?
A score of 45/100 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 $487,581 in decade earnings vs $536,621 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →