Linguists

Working conditions for linguists employed by colleges and universities are usually very good. Linguistics professors usually share a linguistics lab that has the sound spectrographs, recording devices, computers, and other equipment they will need for their work. Linguistics professors commonly spend 12 to 16 hours a week in the classroom and divide the rest of their workweek between meeting students during office hours, doing research, preparing class materials, and writing. They often put in more than 35 or 40 hours a week, but they are able to structure their time to suit their interests and working habits. Also, because they work on the academic calendar, they receive ample vacation time, which they often use for study, research, and travel. 

Linguists in the private sector generally work 35 to 40 hours per week, though they may have to work overtime to meet certain deadlines. Publishing companies and government agencies employing linguists generally have pleasant atmospheres and good equipment. Linguists involved in missionary work or overseas literacy programs generally live among the native people and adjust to their standard of living. Missionaries generally work long hours and receive no more than subsistence wages; however, their devotion to a higher cause enables them to adapt to uncomfortable surroundings.

Computational linguists work in a corporate environment with computers and database systems. They usually work 40 hours a week.