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Romance Languages at Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $33,307/yr (-4% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (58% exposed)

Job Market Large (75,000 openings/yr)

ROI 12.5x earnings multiple (3.6x out-of-state)

Ranked #25 of 198 Romance Languages & Literatures programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$604K	$590K	$530K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	12.8x	12.5x	11.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	3.7x	3.6x	3.3x
Probability of Field Employment	43%	38%	27%
DegreeOutlook Score	44	44	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)

$47,160

Out-of-state: $161,928 (3.6x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$61,368

-30% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$13,000

4.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$62,679

88% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $33,307/yr, Romance Languages graduates from Indiana University-Bloomington land near the $34,637 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 12.5x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 58% task exposure — and the 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $13,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #25 out of 198 programs, Indiana University-Bloomington's Romance Languages program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $33,307 to $62,679 over five years (88% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Indiana University-Bloomington

With 80% of applicants admitted, Indiana University-Bloomington prioritizes broad access, serving a student body of 36,571 in Bloomington, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Indiana University-Bloomington →

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

Romance Languages at Other Schools

Other Majors at Indiana University-Bloomington

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Indiana University-Bloomington's Romance Languages program score?

This program scores 44/100 — on the lower end for Romance Languages. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Romance Languages to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Romance Languages careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 58% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Indiana University-Bloomington rank so high for Romance Languages?

The #25 ranking out of 198 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

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