A study by Preply shows that speaking a second language can increase your paycheck by up to 47%. Of course, not every language is valued equally in every location and role, but the Preply team thoroughly studied these differences and nuances to present a full picture of how a second language impacts a career. After studying thousands of salaries and job openings, let’s delve into what the team discovered.
Preply determined that bilingual workers definitely earn more than monolingual workers. On average, across the countries studied, bilingual workers earn $9,353 more per year. The countries that pay the most for second language ability are Spain, the USA, Poland, the UK, Italy, and Canada. Spain pays the most for second language ability, about 194% more than monolingual workers earn.
These are the languages that bring the highest earnings:
• Japanese
• Portuguese
• Italian
• German
• Russian
Japanese is highly prized, thanks to Japan being home to industry-leading companies in the tech and engineering sectors. Portuguese is spoken in multiple countries and regions, so there’s high demand for it, and Italian is useful in the tourism industry.
Bilingual skills are more valuable in some roles and industries than in others. These are the fields with the most job openings that require a second language:
• Sales
• Customer service
• Social work
• Property and real estate
• Education and teaching
• Manufacturing
• Logistics and warehouse
• Consulting and strategy
• Accounting and finance
• Healthcare and nursing
• Marketing and PR
• Hospitality and cateringThe USA has the biggest diversity of jobs and roles that need bilingual workers. Whether you’re a real estate agent, a salesperson, a nurse, or a hotel manager, Preply’s study shows that being bilingual pays off. The team’s data can help workers determine which language to learn in their country and in their role that will offer the biggest salary increase.
