U.S. median for this major: $50,571.
College Scorecard field of study; 23 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 38% 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 $29,933. College Scorecard.
NAU Linguistics: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Arizona 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 NAU'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 | $9,709 | $41,069 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $10,398 | $43,984 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,330 | $56,386 | 3.2 years |
| $75–110k | $18,050 | $76,352 | 4.3 years |
| $110k+ | $20,686 | $87,502 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (45% 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 ($54,276) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AZ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,615 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 Arizona colleges
Every Arizona 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 | Northern Arizona University | $54,276 | $20,500 | $14,158 | 61% |
| 2 | University of Arizona | $52,805 | — | $16,674 | 68% |
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 NAU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NAU
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 61% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,384
- Full cost breakdown · all 82 majors · overview
Related majors at NAU
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$57,004
- English$45,915
- History$45,795
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$56,433
- Philosophy—
NAU Linguistics questions
How much do NAU Linguistics graduates earn?
Linguistics graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $54,276 four years after graduating and $38,177 one year after. The U.S. median for Linguistics graduates across 89 colleges is $50,571.
How much debt do NAU Linguistics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Linguistics graduates of Northern Arizona University is $20,500, about 38% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $20,556.
Where does NAU rank for Linguistics in Arizona?
Of 2 Arizona colleges reporting Linguistics graduate earnings, Northern Arizona 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 $57,450 in the Flagstaff, AZ 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: “Northern Arizona University Linguistics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-arizona-university/majors/linguistics (College Scorecard and BLS data).