U.S. median for this major: $50,571.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 59% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $20,556.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,867. College Scorecard.
ECU Linguistics: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Linguistics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ECU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,046 | $43,700 | 4.6 years |
| $30–48k | $11,699 | $50,891 | 5.4 years |
| $48–75k | $14,904 | $64,832 | 6.8 years |
| $75–110k | $20,417 | $88,814 | 9.4 years |
| $110k+ | $23,028 | $100,172 | 10.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Linguistics graduates 4 years after graduating ($43,012) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,496 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Linguistics at North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Linguistics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University | $88,098 | — | $29,612 | 97% |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $60,031 | $19,250 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 3 | Appalachian State University | $55,778 | $23,342 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $54,181 | $17,775 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 5 | East Carolina University | $43,012 | $25,560 | $15,739 | 63% |
4 more North Carolina colleges offer Linguistics but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Linguistics graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Interpreters and Translators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +2.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ECU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ECU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 63% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $55,146
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at ECU
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- English$43,585
- History$44,113
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$49,981
- Philosophy—
- German—
ECU Linguistics questions
How much do ECU Linguistics graduates earn?
Linguistics graduates of East Carolina University earn a median $43,012 four years after graduating and $35,561 one year after. The U.S. median for Linguistics graduates across 89 colleges is $50,571.
How much debt do ECU Linguistics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Linguistics graduates of East Carolina University is $25,560, about 59% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $20,556.
Is ECU a good school for Linguistics in North Carolina?
On pay, Linguistics graduates of East Carolina University earn $43,012 four years out, $12,766 below the median for the same major across 5 North Carolina colleges ($55,778) and $7,559 below the U.S. median ($50,571). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ECU rank for Linguistics in North Carolina?
Of 5 North Carolina colleges reporting Linguistics graduate earnings, East Carolina University ranks 5th. The highest is Duke University at $88,098.
What jobs do Linguistics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $57,230 in the Greenville, NC area and $72,040 nationally. Others include interpreters and translators.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “East Carolina University Linguistics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/east-carolina-university/majors/linguistics (College Scorecard and BLS data).