Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $28,746/yr fall 17% below the $34,637 national median for Romance Languages. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 12.0x 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 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $23,250 debt-to-$28,746 income ratio translates to about 10 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
At #114 out of 198 programs, University of Iowa's financial outcomes for Romance Languages trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth from $28,746 to $50,428 over five years (75% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.