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Romance Languages at Wellesley College

Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,776/yr (6% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (58% exposed)

Job Market Large (75,000 openings/yr)

ROI 2.1x earnings multiple

Ranked #170 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	$553K	$546K	$498K
Earnings Multiple	2.2x	2.1x	1.9x
Probability of Field Employment	43%	38%	27%
DegreeOutlook Score	27	26	17

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$257,280

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$100,032

61% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$10,152

3.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$57,010

55% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Wellesley College's Romance Languages graduates start at $36,776/yr — above the $34,637 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The financial case is thin at 2.1x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

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 10% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $10,152 in median debt clears quickly against $36,776 in annual earnings.

Ranked #170 of 198 Romance Languages programs, Wellesley College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $57,010 show a 55% jump from the $36,776 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Wellesley College

Only 14% of applicants gain admission to Wellesley College, reflecting elite selectivity, a smaller institution with 2,318 students in Wellesley, MA. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $100,032 — 61% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Wellesley College →

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 Wellesley College

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Romance Languages at Wellesley College?

A score of 26/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Romance Languages. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

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 $498,031 in decade earnings vs $553,237 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is Wellesley College a hidden gem for Romance Languages?

After financial aid, the average student pays $100,032 over four years — 61% below the $257,280 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.

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