In this article, we will look at the 5 most profitable foreign languages to learn. If you want to read our detailed analysis of the European economy, you can go directly to the 12 Most Profitable Foreign Languages to Learn.
5. Japanese
GDP per Capita of Japan (2022): $34,017.3
Unemployment Rate (2022): 2.6%
Number of Speakers (2023): 123,400,000
GDP of Japan (2022): $4.26 trillion
Japanese makes it to the top 5 of our list of 12 most profitable foreign languages to learn. It is the official language of Japan and is categorized as an isolated language. Japan had a GDP per capita of $34,017.3 and an unemployment rate of 2.6% in 2022. Moreover, Japan had a GDP of $2.36 trillion in 2022.
4. Italian
GDP per Capita of Italy (2022): $34,776.4
Unemployment Rate (2022): 8.1%
Number of Speakers (2023): 67,900,000
GDP of Italy (2022): $2.05 trillion
Italian is another romance language. It is the official language of Italy, San Marino, and Switzerland, with more than 67.9 million speakers worldwide. It is most commonly spoken in Italy. Italy has a GDP per capita of $34,776.4 and an unemployment rate of 8.1% as of 2022.
3. French
GDP per Capita of France (2022): $40,886.3
Unemployment Rate (2022): 7.3%
Number of Speakers (2023): 309,800,000
GDP of France (2022): $2.78 trillion
French ranks 3rd on our list. It is recognized as the official language of 28 countries, including France, Belgium, Canada, Chad, and Switzerland. France had a GDP of $2.78 trillion in 2022, and a GDP per capita of $40,886.3.
2. German
GDP per Capita of Germany (2022): $48,718
Unemployment Rate (2022): 3.1%
Number of Speakers (2023): 133,200,000
GDP of Germany (2022): $4.08 trillion
German belongs to the Indo-European language family. It is the official language of both Germany and Austria. There are over 133.2 million German speakers around the world. Moreover, Germany had a GDP per capita of $48,718 and an unemployment rate of 3.1% in 2022. It is a vast economy with a GDP of $4.08 trillion.
1. Dutch
GDP per Capita of Netherlands (2022): $57,025
Unemployment Rate (2022): 3.5%
Number of Speakers (2023): 24,500,000
GDP of Netherlands (2022): $1.01 trillion
Dutch is the most profitable foreign language to learn. There are over 24.5 million Dutch speakers around the world. It is the official language of the Netherlands, and many other European countries speak it. The Netherlands had a GDP per capita of $57,025 and an unemployment rate of 3.5% in 2022.
You can also look at the 30 Most Spoken Languages in the World in 2024 and the Top 20 Languages with the Hardest Grammar for English Speakers





