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 56% 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 $28,254. College Scorecard.
Western Illinois University 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 Western 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 | $6,941 | $30,402 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $8,787 | $38,487 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $12,062 | $52,832 | 3.0 years |
| $75–110k | $16,294 | $71,368 | 4.0 years |
| $110k+ | $19,701 | $86,290 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($53,453) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,656 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $61,774 | $19,500 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | Western Illinois University | $53,453 | $29,875 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 3 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $42,905 | $24,500 | $13,297 | 62% |
7 more Illinois 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 Western Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 71% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 45% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,163
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Illinois University
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- English$41,984
- History$47,084
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$55,944
- Philosophy—
Western Illinois University Linguistics questions
How much do Western Illinois University Linguistics graduates earn?
Linguistics graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median $53,453 four years after graduating and $37,155 one year after. The U.S. median for Linguistics graduates across 89 colleges is $50,571.
How much debt do Western Illinois University Linguistics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Linguistics graduates of Western Illinois University is $29,875, about 56% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $20,556.
Is Western Illinois University a good school for Linguistics in Illinois?
On pay, Linguistics graduates of Western Illinois University earn $53,453 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 3 Illinois colleges ($53,453) and $2,882 above the U.S. median ($50,571). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Illinois University rank for Linguistics in Illinois?
Of 3 Illinois colleges reporting Linguistics graduate earnings, Western Illinois University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $61,774.
What jobs do Linguistics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $79,990 in Illinois 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: “Western Illinois University Linguistics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-illinois-university/majors/linguistics (College Scorecard and BLS data).