Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Statistics Facts and Trends for 2024

Disclosure: Some of the links you’ll encounter are affiliate links. If you click and buy something, I’ll get a commission. If you’re reading a review of some precious metals company, please understand that some of the links are affiliate links that help me pay my bills and write about what I love with no extra cost to you. Thank you!

Looking for the latest statistics on major benefits when learning a foreign language for 2024?

My updated guide has everything you need, and more.

Feel free to use the jump links below to go to the section that interests you the most.

Or use this jump link to quickly jump to the KEY STATS section.

Also, all the references and resources I used in crafting my guide are listed at the bottom of the page.

Let’s go!

Jump here: Key Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Statistics for this Year| Key Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Statistics for this Year (Detailed Stats and Facts)

Benefits of learning a foreign language statistics facts and trends for 2024

Table of Contents

Key Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Statistics for this Year

Key Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Statistics for 2024

Bilingual employees earn 5-20% more per hour than monolinguals. (Source)
56% of Europeans are bilingual versus only 20% of Americans. (Source)
Second language learning delays dementia onset by 4.5 years on average. (Source)
Foreign language study improves native language skills in children. (Source)
64% of business executives speak at least two languages. (Source)
Bilingual children outperform monolinguals by 20-40% in executive function tasks. (Source)
US foreign language study increased 44% from 2009 to 2019. (Source)
90% of recruiters use language skills to differentiate job candidates. (Source)
Microlearning app users retained 23% more foreign language vocabulary than traditional learners over three months. (Source)
Foreign language study improves memory and attention span by 20%. (Source)
Bilinguals are 3-4 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. (Source)
75% of the world’s population speaks multiple languages. (Source)
Around 43% of the world’s population is bilingual, meaning they speak two languages fluently, which translates to roughly 3.3 billion people globally.
New language learning increases hippocampus size by 3-5%. (Source)
Foreign language students score 140 points higher on SAT on average. (Source)
43% of the world’s population is bilingual. This means 57% of the world’s population is either monolingual or plurilingual. (Source)
Bilinguals switch tasks 20% faster than monolinguals. (Source)
US demand for bilingual workers doubled in 5 years. (Source)
Second language learning improves problem-solving skills by 15-20%. (Source)
66% of bilingual children show greater cognitive flexibility than monolingual peers. (Source)
Bilingualism increases divergent thinking abilities by 5-10%. (Source)
Interactive language learning apps with gamification increased practice time by 37% and vocabulary retention by 22% compared to traditional textbook methods. (Source)
35% of Fortune 500 companies are based in non-English speaking countries. (Source)
Multilingual speakers are 10% more likely to receive promotions. (Source)
Bilinguals have 6% higher average annual household income than monolinguals. (Source)
Company-sponsored language programs boosted job performance and international communication confidence for 64% of participating employees. (Source)
90% of language learners report increased cultural appreciation. This is only natural as learning a new language opens up the door to a whole different culture. (Source)
Learning a new language increases IQ scores by 4 points on average. (Source)
Students’ foreign language speaking skills declined 30% after a three-month instruction break. (Source)
70% of college admissions officers view foreign language study positively. (Source)
Online language learners outperformed traditional classroom learners by 12% on standardized proficiency tests, according to a large meta-analysis. (Source)

Key Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Statistics for this Year (Detailed Stats and Facts)

What Is The Average Salary Increase For Bilingual Employees Compared To Monolingual Employees?

Bilingual employees earn on average 5-20% more per hour than monolingual employees. It’s because polyglot employees are more valuable to companies and can do work monolingual employees can’t.

What Percentage Of Europeans Are Bilingual Compared To Americans?

56% of Europeans are bilingual, compared to only 20% of Americans. Europe is divide into many different countries and languages so it makes sense most Europeans would speak at least 2 languages. Whereas US is a continent on its own with English as a dominant language.

56% of Europeans are bilingual, compared to only 20% of Americans. (graph)

By How Many Years Can Learning A Second Language Delay The Onset Of Dementia?

Learning a second language can delay the onset of dementia by an average of 4.5 years. With dementia bein such a prevalent disease it pays to pick up a book and learn to speak another language.

How Do Children Who Study A Foreign Language Perform In Their Native Language Skills?

Children who study a foreign language also perform better in their native language skills. This makes sense given that languages, especially the ones from the same language group, are similar and learning one reinforces the other.

How Do Bilingual Children Perform On Executive Function Tasks Compared To Monolingual Children? What’s Their Memory Like?

Bilingual children outperform monolingual children on tasks involving executive function by 20-40%. Studying a foreign language also improves memory and increase attention span by 20%.

It’s obvious from these stats that language learns helps the human brain excel in other cognitive areas.

What Percentage Of Employees Reported Improved Job Performance And Increased Confidence After Participating In Company-Sponsored Language Learning Programs?

A 2022 survey by Rosetta Stone found that 64% of employees who participated in company-sponsored language learning programs reported improved job performance and increased confidence in international business communications. This stat shows how corporate learning and strong company culture can benefit organizations and businesses.

What Percentage Of Recruiters Use Language Skills As A Differentiating Factor Between Job Candidates?

90% of recruiters rely on language skills as a differentiating factor between job candidates. Also, companies try their best to retain their polyglot employees as much as possible as these people are an asset to their businesses.

How Much Less Likely Are Bilingual Individuals To Develop Alzheimer’s Disease?

Bilingual individuals are 3-4 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Bilingualism seems to be able to strengthen and reorganize the brain’s circuits, which helps fight off the initial symptoms of dementia.

What Percentage Of The World’s Population Speaks More Than One Language?

75% of the world’s population speaks more than one language. Around 43% of the world’s population is bilingual, meaning they speak two languages fluently, which translates to roughly 3.3 billion people globally.

How Much Higher Do Students Who Study Foreign Languages Score On The SAT Compared To Those Who Don’t?

Students who study foreign languages score an average of 140 points higher on the SAT than those who don’t.

How Much Faster Can Bilingual Speakers Switch Between Tasks Compared To Monolinguals?

Bilingual speakers have more developed brains that monolingual people and it shows in day-to-day functioning.

For example, bilingual speakers can switch between tasks 20% faster than monolinguals. 66% of bilingual children show greater cognitive flexibility compared to monolingual peers. Bilingual speakers have 15-20% better problem-solving skills than monolingual people. Bilingualism can lead to a 5-10% increase in divergent thinking abilities.

Finally, learning a new language can increase IQ scores by an average of 4 points.

What Was The Average Percentage Decrease In Speaking Proficiency For Students Who Experienced A 3-Month Gap In Language Instruction?

A 2021 study by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages found that students who experienced a 3-month gap in language instruction during summer break showed an average decrease of 30% in their speaking proficiency when tested at the start of the new school year.

Read some more learning loss statistics I gathered here.

How Much Higher Was The Vocabulary Retention Rate For Students Using Microlearning Apps Compared To Those Using Traditional Study Methods?

A study I linked to in the footer of this page (published in the Journal of Educational Technology & Society) found that students who used a microlearning app to study vocabulary in 5-10 minute daily sessions showed a 23% higher retention rate of new words compared to a control group using traditional study methods over a 3-month period.

Read my guide to the best microlearning statistics to learn more how microlearning helps with education.

How Much More Likely Are People Who Speak Multiple Languages To Receive Promotions?

People who speak multiple languages are 10% more likely to receive promotions.

What Is The Average Difference In Annual Household Income Between Bilingual And Monolingual Individuals?

Bilingual individuals have 6% higher average annual household income compared to monolinguals.

What Percentage Of Learners Report Increased Cultural Appreciation After Studying A Foreign Language?

90% of learners report increased cultural appreciation after studying a foreign language. This is only natural as learning a new language opens up the door to a whole different culture.

How Much Higher Were The Standardized Proficiency Test Scores Of Online Language Learners Compared To Traditional Classroom Learners?

A 2023 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning found that online language learners achieved, on average, 12% higher scores on standardized proficiency tests compared to traditional classroom learners across 47 studies involving over 5,000 participants.

How Much More Time Did Students Using Interactive Language Learning Apps Spend Practicing Compared To Those Using Traditional Textbook Methods?

A 2022 study published in Language Learning & Technology found that students using interactive language learning apps with gamification elements spent 37% more time practicing the target language and showed a 22% improvement in vocabulary retention compared to those using traditional textbook methods over a 6-month period.