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English graduates earn $48,590 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $33,654 and $63,810. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.

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About English

This page covers English as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of English and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.

English is a specialized field of study. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $48,590 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 1,524 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 35,472 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.

Median Earnings · 1yr: $29,848
Median Earnings · 4yr: $48,590
Colleges Offering: 1,524
Graduates / Year: 35,472
Avg Net Price / yr: $14,197

How Much Do English Graduates Earn?

Four years after finishing English, a typical graduate earns $48,590, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $33,654 and $63,810, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $29,848 at one year out to $48,590 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.

What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.

$29,848

1 Year After Graduation

Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.

$48,590

4-Year National Median

Below average for bachelor's degree holders.

$48,926

4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.

Earnings Range

Not every English graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.

$33,654 25th pct.

$48,590 Median

$63,810 75th pct.

A Solid Financial Return

Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $48,590 and an estimated $56,788 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.1 years.

Based on outcomes from 1,301 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 35,472 students who complete English programs each year, the majority (78%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

78%

Bachelor's 78%

Master's 11%

Associate's 8%

What Can You Do With an English Degree?

This degree does not lock you into one job. English graduates show up in 2 different occupations, and English Language and Literature Teachers pay the most at $78,760/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

The best-paid of these is what English Language and Literature Teachers earn and how fast those roles are growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.

↗ +0.0% Zone 5: Extensive preparation

English Language and Literature Teachers

$78,760

$61K $103K 25th–75th pct.

Doctoral or professional degree 4,500 openings/yr 58K employed nationally

Reading Comprehension Instructing Writing Speaking Learning Strategies

Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Teach writing or communication classes.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.

↘ -0.2% Zone 4: Considerable preparation

Secondary School Teacher

$72,040

$60K $93K 25th–75th pct.

Bachelor's degree 63,500 openings/yr 1.1M employed nationally

Instructing Reading Comprehension Active Listening Learning Strategies Speaking

Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.

Top Colleges for English

Not sure where to study English? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at Southern New Hampshire University, and the rest follow the same measures.

#	College	Graduates	Acceptance	Net Price/yr	Earnings 10yr
1	Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH · Nonprofit	682	99.5%	$36,708	$50,318
2	University of Central Florida Orlando, FL · Public	368	40.1%	$10,411	$58,308
3	Florida State University Tallahassee, FL · Public	322	24.2%	$11,297	$61,675
4	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA · Public	302	46.3%	$10,440	$64,403
5	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA · Public	253	11%	$13,481	$92,446
6	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA · Public	232	9%	$12,548	$82,511
7	Florida International University Miami, FL · Public	216	54.7%	$9,288	$60,249
8	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ · Public	215	89.9%	$14,967	$62,668
9	California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA · Public	215	93.5%	$7,021	$59,115
10	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA · Public	194	33%	$16,109	$74,915
11	University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA · Public	191	16.8%	$21,565	$86,863
12	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC · Public	186	15.3%	$11,655	$72,200
13	University of Florida Gainesville, FL · Public	183	24.2%	$6,541	$71,588
14	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA · Public	170	94%	$9,338	$64,876
15	Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY · Nonprofit	169	4%	$21,590	$102,491
16	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public	168	60.6%	$17,339	$60,409
17	University of South Florida Tampa, FL · Public	168	43.2%	$9,812	$57,743
18	Texas State University San Marcos, TX · Public	167	89.3%	$16,805	$56,906
19	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA · Public	167	96.4%	$12,278	$68,077
20	University of California-Davis Davis, CA · Public	164	41.8%	$14,741	$80,838

View all colleges

Ranked by English graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of an English program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if an English degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

English Degree: Pros & Cons

English carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 3 strengths and 4 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.

PROS

Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $29,848 at graduation to $48,590 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 68,000 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availability Offered at 1,524 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.

CONS

Modest median earnings Four-year median of $48,590 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expected Top roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Declining roles in some areas 1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
High earnings variance Gap between 25th ($33,654) and 75th ($63,810) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.

English Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do English graduates earn?

$48,590 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $33,654 and $63,810, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.

What is the starting salary for an English degree?

$29,848 in the first year out. That grows to $48,590 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.

What jobs can you get with an English degree?

English Language and Literature Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $78,760 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.

How long does an English program take?

Four years of full-time study for an English bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.

How many colleges offer English?

1,524 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.

Is an English degree worth it?

$48,590 median earnings four years out against $14,197 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.

What skills do employers look for in English graduates?

Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring English graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.

What is the job outlook for English graduates?

Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average -0.1% projected job growth over the next 10 years. English Language and Literature Teachers are among the strongest-growth roles at +0.0%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.