Applied Linguistics

Add Comparison

Total Degrees
Awarded in 2024

197

growing 5.35%

Median In-State
Public Tuition

$8,772

growing 2.35%

Median Out-of-State
Private Tuition

$38,470

growing 44.2%

Average Wage

$92,603

growing 3.56%

People in Workforce

529,395

growing 1.39%

Average Employee Age

44.1

growing 0.241%

About

Language & Linguistics Linguistic, Comparative, & Related Language Studies

Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Applied Linguistics and the types of students that study this field. University of Massachusetts-Boston awards the most degrees in Applied Linguistics in the US, having also the highest percentage of degrees awarded in Applied Linguistics, followed by East Texas A&M University.

Tuition costs for Applied Linguistics majors are, on average, $8,772 for in-state public colleges, and $38,470 for out of state private colleges.

The most common sector, by number of institutions, that offers Applied Linguistics programs are Public, 4-year or above institutions (32 total). The most common sector, by number of degrees awarded, is Public, 4-year or above (182 completions).

Institutions

Institution with the Most Degrees Awarded in Applied Linguistics (2024)

University of Massachusetts-Boston
44 degrees awarded
East Texas A&M University
28 degrees awarded
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
16 degrees awarded

The most common sector, by number of degrees awarded in Applied Linguistics, is Public, 4-year or above (182 completions in 2024).

The following chart shows the share of universities that offer Applied Linguistics programs, by the total number of completions, colored and grouped by their sector.

Tuition Costs for Common Institutions

$8,772

Median In-State Public

$38,470

Median Out of State Private

University of Massachusetts-Boston has the most Applied Linguistics degree recipients, with 44 degrees awarded in 2024.

The following bar chart shows the state tuition for the top 5 institutions with the most degrees awarded in Applied Linguistics.

Specialized Colleges

Highest Concentration Institution

University of Massachusetts-Boston
1.18%
East Texas A&M University
0.823%
Purdue University Fort Wayne
0.802%

Out of all institutions that offer Applied Linguistics programs and have at least 5 graduates in those programs, University of Massachusetts-Boston has the highest percentage of degrees awarded in Applied Linguistics, with 1.18%.

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Language & Linguistics graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.

The average salary for Language & Linguistics majors is $92,603 and the most common occupations are Elementary & middle school teachers, Postsecondary teachers, and Secondary school teachers.

The industry that employs the most Language & Linguistics majors is Elementary & secondary schools, though the highest paying industry, by average wage, is Support activities for mining.

Yearly Income for Common Jobs

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

$92,603

Average Wage in Workforce

± $3,376

3.56%

1 Year Growth

± 5.01%

The average salary for Language & Linguistics majors is $92,603 and the most common occupations are Elementary & middle school teachers, Postsecondary teachers, and Secondary school teachers.

This chart shows the average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Language & Linguistics majors.

Highest Paying Locations

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

Highest Paying Pumas

This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States colored by the average salary of Language & Linguistics majors.

Note that the census collects information tied to where people live, not where they work. It is possible that Language & Linguistics majors live and work in the same place, but it is also possible that they live and work in two different places.

Most Common

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

The most common occupations for Language & Linguistics majors, by number of employees, are Elementary & middle school teachers, Postsecondary teachers, and Secondary school teachers.

Most Specialized

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

Compared to other majors, there are an unusually high number of Language & Linguistics majors working as Miscellaneous media & communication workers, Librarians, and Postsecondary teachers.

Highest Paid

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

The highest paid occupations by median income for Language & Linguistics majors are Petroleum, mining & geological engineers, including mining safety engineers, Surgeons, and Molders, shapers, & casters, except metal & plastic.

Occupations by Share

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

529,395

2024 Workforce

± 17,833

1.39%

1 Year Growth

± 4.71%

The number of Language & Linguistics graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 1.39%, from 522,137 in 2023 to 529,395 in 2024.

The largest single share of Language & Linguistics graduates go on to work as Elementary & middle school teachers (6.69%). This chart shows the various jobs filled by those with a major in Language & Linguistics by share of the total number of graduates.

Most Common

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

The most common industries that employ Language & Linguistics majors, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools, Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals.

Highest Paid

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

The highest paying industries of Language & Linguistics majors, by average wage, are Support activities for mining, Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, and Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing.

Industries by Share

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

529,395

2024 Workforce

± 17,833

1.39%

1 Year Growth

± 4.71%

The number of Language & Linguistics graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 1.39%, from 522,137 in 2023 to 529,395 in 2024.

The industry which employs the most Language & Linguistics graduates by share is Elementary & secondary schools, followed by Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges. This visualization shows the industries that hire those who major in Language & Linguistics.

Specialty Locations

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

PUMAS with a relatively high number of Language & Linguistics majors

This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States where there are a relatively high population of Language & Linguistics majors.

Diversity

Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Language & Linguistics in the United States.

The average age of a person in the workforce with a degree in Language & Linguistics is 44.1.

N/A Female employees are more likely to hold Language & Linguistics degrees, and White students are the most common race/ethnicty group awarded degrees in Language & Linguistics (90 students).

Workforce Age

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

44.1

Average Age in 2024

± 0.444 Years

0.241%

1 Year Change

± 1.43%

This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Language & Linguistics. The most common ages of employees with this major are 35 and 33 years old, which represent 3.22% and 3.14% of the population, respectively.

Workforce Degrees

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

The most common degree types held by the working population in Language & Linguistics are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Professional degree.

Sex Imbalance for Common Institutions

Female (70.1%)

Most Common Sex with a Degree in this Field

This chart shows the granted degrees by sex at the 5 institutions that graduate the most students in Applied Linguistics.

Race & Ethnicity by Degrees Awarded

Degrees

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
90 degrees awarded in 2024
Hispanic or Latino
35 degrees awarded in 2024
Non-resident Alien
33 degrees awarded in 2024

This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Applied Linguistics for each race & ethnicity.

In 2024, White students earned the largest share of the degrees with this major.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Degrees

Most Common Race/Ethnicity and Sex Combination

White Female
32 degrees awarded
White Male
18 degrees awarded
Non-resident Alien Female
15 degrees awarded

This chart illustrates the differences by sex for each race & ethnicity of Masters Degree recipients in Applied Linguistics.

White Female students, who earn most of the degrees in this field, are the most common combination of race/ethnicity and sex.

Global Diversity

The closest comparable data for the 6 Digit Course Applied Linguistics is from the 2 Digit Course Language & Linguistics.

Most Common Countries of Origin

Mexico
10,062 degree recipients
China
8,394 degree recipients
Korea
6,992 degree recipients

High Relative Number of Students

Belgium
8.5 times more than expected
Spain
6.71 times more than expected
Algeria
6.5 times more than expected

There are a relatively high number of people that were born in Belgium that hold Language & Linguistics degrees (8.5 times more than expected), and the most common country of origin by total numbers for non-US students earning a degree in this field is Mexico (10,062 degree recipients).

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Applied Linguistics field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Applied Linguistics majors need many skills, but most especially Active Listening. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Applied Linguistics majors need more than the average amount of Active Listening, Speaking, and Monitoring.

These two visualizations, one a radial chart and one a bar chart, show the same information, a rating of how necessary the following skills are for Applied Linguistics majors. Toggle between "value" and "RCA" to see the absolute rating of that skill (value) and the revealed comparative advantage (RCA), or how much greater or lesser that skill's rating is than the average. The longer the bar or the closer the line comes to the circumference of the circle, the more important that skill is. The importance of Active Listening is very distinctive for majors, but the Active Listening, Speaking, and Reading Comprehension are the three most important skills for people in the field.