Home › University of California-Berkeley › Romance Languages & Literatures

Romance Languages & Literatures at University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
48 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
49
Optimistic
48
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,818/yr (18% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (58% exposed)
Job Market Large (75,000 openings/yr)
ROI 9.9x earnings multiple (3.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #10 of 198 Romance Languages & Literatures programs Top 5%

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 $600K $587K $527K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.1x 9.9x 8.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.3x 3.2x 2.9x
Probability of Field Employment 43% 38% 27%
DegreeOutlook Score 49 48 39

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$59,400
Out-of-state: $182,508 (3.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$59,916
-1% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,593
3.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$65,810
61% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $40,818 per year, Romance Languages & Literatures graduates from University of California-Berkeley earn slightly above the $34,637 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.9x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

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 12% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $11,593 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #10 of 198 nationally, this is a top-5% Romance Languages & Literatures program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Five-year earnings of $65,810 show a 61% jump from the $40,818 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About University of California-Berkeley

With just 12% of applicants admitted, University of California-Berkeley ranks among the nation's most selective schools, serving a student body of 33,073 in Berkeley, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-Berkeley →

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

University of California-Berkeley vs University of Rhode Island →

Other Majors at University of California-Berkeley

Computer Science ($149,866) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($137,295) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($90,008) Operations Research ($88,685) Mechanical Engineering ($88,497) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($88,030) Statistics ($83,227) Chemical Engineering ($81,553)

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 University of California-Berkeley?
A score of 48/100 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 $527,405 in decade earnings vs $599,953 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes University of California-Berkeley's Romance Languages & Literatures program stand out?
Ranked #10 of 198 programs nationally, University of California-Berkeley lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →