U.S. median for this major: $50,571.
College Scorecard field of study; 19 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 61% 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU Linguistics: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Iowa colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 11.2 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 12.2 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 16.4 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($40,726) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $4,065 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.
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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$61,697
- English$49,626
- History$52,934
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$54,889
- Philosophy—
- Area Studies$61,860
ISU Linguistics questions
How much do ISU Linguistics graduates earn?
Linguistics graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $40,726 four years after graduating and $25,065 one year after. The U.S. median for Linguistics graduates across 89 colleges is $50,571.
How much debt do ISU Linguistics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Linguistics graduates of Iowa State University is $24,793, about 61% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $20,556.
Where does ISU rank for Linguistics in Iowa?
Of 1 Iowa colleges reporting Linguistics graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Linguistics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $63,450 in the Ames, IA 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: “Iowa State University Linguistics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/linguistics (College Scorecard and BLS data).