Bachelor's · Bloomington, Indiana

Is East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Indiana University-Bloomington worth it?

Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 7.2 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $28,510; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $54,768; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $17,300; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $68k (likely $68k – $69k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $16k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in IN; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 7.2 years (likely 4.8–12.2); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$103k (likely −$183k – −$1k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $106k (likely −$68k – $321k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 80%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26

Change income, residency or loans Compare East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at other schools

🌍 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward languages & cultures majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP Spanish Language and Culture (or French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Latin)
AP World History: Modern
AP Human Geography

IB Higher Level

Language B HL
History HL or Geography HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at Indiana University-Bloomington

Business/Commerce, General (Master's)$161,345
Computational Science (Master's)$151,397
Chemistry (Doctoral)$148,634
Optometry (First professional)$134,609
Human Computer Interaction (Master's)$127,652
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$126,747
Business/Commerce, General (Graduate certificate)$123,207
Law (First professional)$120,301
Accounting and Related Services (Master's)$119,951
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Graduate certificate)$119,536
Computer Science (Bachelor's)$114,199
International Relations and National Security Studies (Undergraduate certificate)$110,686

East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at other schools in Indiana

Ball State University$44,208