U.S. median for this major: $56,122.
College Scorecard field of study; 31 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 42% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,851. College Scorecard.
Northern Illinois University Spanish / French / Romance Languages: 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.
Spanish / French / Romance Languages nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Northern Illinois University'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 | $10,126 | $44,453 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 3.7 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 5.0 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 6.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates 4 years after graduating ($51,151) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,354 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.
Spanish / French / Romance Languages at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Spanish / French / Romance Languages 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 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $61,801 | $21,800 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | Dominican University | $60,311 | $26,246 | $11,745 | 55% |
| 3 | University of Illinois Chicago | $57,594 | $17,559 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 4 | Elmhurst University | $56,282 | $20,000 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 5 | Augustana College | $55,909 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 6 | Loyola University Chicago | $54,344 | $22,698 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 7 | Lake Forest College | $52,598 | $27,000 | $28,673 | 78% |
| 8 | Monmouth College | $51,377 | $27,000 | $17,133 | 65% |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University | $51,151 | $21,250 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 10 | North Central College | $51,018 | $25,000 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 11 | DePaul University | $50,460 | $27,000 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 12 | Illinois State University | $45,994 | $22,375 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 13 | Wheaton College | $42,635 | $26,650 | $26,975 | 85% |
25 more Illinois colleges offer Spanish / French / Romance Languages but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Spanish / French / Romance Languages 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 Northern Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,808
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at Northern Illinois University
- English$47,981
- History$46,086
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$57,697
- Philosophy—
- German—
Northern Illinois University Spanish / French / Romance Languages questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates earn?
Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $51,151 four years after graduating and $40,586 one year after. The U.S. median for Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates across 225 colleges is $56,122.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates of Northern Illinois University is $21,250, about 42% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,000.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Spanish / French / Romance Languages in Illinois?
On pay, Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $51,151 four years out, $1,447 below the median for the same major across 13 Illinois colleges ($52,598) and $4,971 below the U.S. median ($56,122). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Spanish / French / Romance Languages in Illinois?
Of 13 Illinois colleges reporting Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 9th. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $61,801.
What jobs do Spanish / French / Romance Languages graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $98,970 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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 Illinois University Spanish / French / Romance Languages: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/spanish-french-romance-languages (College Scorecard and BLS data).