Classics degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in classics earn a median $50,542 four years after finishing, across 3 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in french german latin and other common foreign language studies earn $50,762, $11,287 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is secondary school teachers (4%).
Median across 3 colleges; middle half $46,920–$52,639.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $31,484–$76,144. 1,821 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "French German Latin And Other Common Foreign Language Studies"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$15,124/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs classics graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in french german latin and other common foreign language studies actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers | 4% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 4% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Interpreters And Translators | 3% | $60,170 | +2.0% | Bachelor's degree | CAS |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 3% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Registered Nurses | 2% | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree | SCI |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 24% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Classics earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | — | $50,274 (262) |
| New York | — | $64,767 (123) |
| Texas | — | $50,274 (116) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where classics graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 8 in Florida, 12 in Virginia, 19 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida State UniversityFL | $50,542 | $19,633 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages
- Linguistics
- German
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- American Sign Language
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other
Classics degree questions
How much do Classics graduates make?
Classics graduates earn a median $50,542 four years after finishing, across 3 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $46,920 to $52,639; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in french german latin and other common foreign language studies, the median is $50,762 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Classics degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in french german latin and other common foreign language studies earn a median $50,762: $11,287 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $15,124 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Classics graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in french german latin and other common foreign language studies, the most common jobs are secondary school teachers (4%), elementary and middle school teachers (4%), interpreters and translators (3%). Secondary School Teachers earn a U.S. median $70,930.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Classics degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/classics.