American Sign Language: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 16.16. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 347 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 135 | 957 | $38,250 | $41,771 | $16,874 2 programs |
| Associate's degree | 140 | 744 | $32,528 | $37,886 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 59 | 497 | $37,521 | $45,044 | $22,833 8 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 7 | 100 | $59,596 | $73,769 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 1 | 4 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 4 | 9 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise State University ID · Public · 21 graduates measured | $42,528 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Temple University PA · Public · 35 graduates measured | $35,113 | $66,762 | $21,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus State Community College OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $38,885 | $43,647 | Data unavailable |
| Oakland Community College MI · Public · 22 graduates measured | $37,460 | $39,402 | Data unavailable |
| South Texas College TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $26,435 | $22,261 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Northern Colorado CO · Public · 16 graduates measured | $44,728 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Eastern Kentucky University KY · Public · 16 graduates measured | $43,727 | $36,755 | Data unavailable |
| Georgia State University GA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $41,052 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 42 graduates measured | $40,819 | $59,134 | $25,000 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public · 19 graduates measured | $40,252 | $47,003 | Data unavailable |
| St Catherine University MN · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $40,020 | $45,973 | Data unavailable |
| Gallaudet University DC · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $39,559 | $70,859 | $17,500 |
| William Woods University MO · Private, nonprofit · 61 graduates measured | $39,453 | $49,889 | $16,409 |
| Framingham State University MA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $39,409 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Madonna University MI · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $38,125 | $50,382 | Data unavailable |
| Siena Heights University MI · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $37,916 | $44,933 | Data unavailable |
| Columbia College Chicago IL · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $37,067 | $45,619 | $28,500 |
| Valdosta State University GA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $36,316 | $39,516 | Data unavailable |
| Kent State University at Kent OH · Public · 26 graduates measured | $35,539 | $42,488 | $25,000 |
| Idaho State University ID · Public · 17 graduates measured | $33,987 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Northern Colorado CO · Public · 18 graduates measured | $59,648 | $68,341 | Data unavailable |
| Gallaudet University DC · Private, nonprofit · 59 graduates measured | $57,020 | $78,197 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to American Sign Language
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary | $79,350 | +0.2% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | $77,640 | +2.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $72,040 | -0.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Interpreters and translators | $60,170 | +2.0% | Bachelor's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (4)
- 16.1601 American Sign Language (ASL)
- 16.1602 Linguistics of ASL and Other Sign Languages
- 16.1603 Sign Language Interpretation and Translation
- 16.1699 American Sign Language, Other