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Romance Languages at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
33 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
34
Optimistic
33
Base Case
30
Pessimistic
Earnings $21,411/yr (-38% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (58% exposed)
Job Market Large (75,000 openings/yr)
ROI 12.7x earnings multiple (4.6x out-of-state)
Ranked #132 of 198 Romance Languages & Literatures programs

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 $664K $643K $568K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 13.1x 12.7x 11.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.8x 4.6x 4.1x
Probability of Field Employment 43% 38% 27%
DegreeOutlook Score 34 33 30

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$50,752
Out-of-state: $139,736 (4.6x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$98,128
-93% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,590
12.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$60,164
181% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $21,411 place University of South Carolina-Columbia below the $34,637 national median for Romance Languages — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

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 programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Romance Languages's typical career paths, with 58% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 15% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $22,590 against $21,411/yr in first-year earnings means roughly 1.1 years of salary goes to loan repayment. That's a heavy but not crushing debt load.

Ranked #132 of 198 Romance Languages programs, University of South Carolina-Columbia falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $60,164 show a 181% jump from the $21,411 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About University of South Carolina-Columbia

A 61% admission rate makes University of South Carolina-Columbia accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with 28,113 students enrolled in Columbia, SC.

See all programs and financial aid at University of South Carolina-Columbia →

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 →

Romance Languages 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)

Other Majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($77,161) Chemical Engineering ($75,680) Computer Engineering ($73,982) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($73,872) Mechanical Engineering ($72,370) International Business ($70,992) Statistics ($69,543) Civil Engineering ($69,424)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Romance Languages trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Romance Languages at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
A score of 33/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Romance Languages. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is Romance Languages at University of South Carolina-Columbia worth the student debt?
Median debt of $22,590 against $21,411/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.
Will AI replace Romance Languages careers?
With 58% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $567,835 in decade earnings vs $664,250 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Romance Languages from University of South Carolina-Columbia?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →