English Language and Literature, General: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 12 reporting college programs.
$29,719 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $29,719
- Federal debt
- $8,711
- Reporting programs
- 12
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,868
- Federal debt
- $8,923
- Reporting programs
- 15
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,926
- Federal debt
- $24,636
- Reporting programs
- 614
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,269
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 43
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,586
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 13
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Davidson College$60,0002Northern Arizona University$50,8513Interactive College of Technology-Chamblee$31,0984Interactive College of Technology$29,7245New Professions Technical Institute$29,7196Columbia College$28,4607Florida National University-Main Campus$21,8268Manhattan School of Computer Technology$20,1889Diversified Vocational College$19,23510MDT College of Health Sciences$18,795Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davidson CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Davidson, NC | $60,000 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,379 |
| 2 | Northern Arizona UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Flagstaff, AZ | $50,851 | $18,712 | Baseline needed | $14,158 |
| 3 | Interactive College of Technology-ChambleeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chamblee, GA | $31,098 | $6,879 | Baseline needed | $15,506 |
| 4 | Interactive College of TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pasadena, TX | $29,724 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,629 |
| 5 | New Professions Technical InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Miami, FL | $29,719 | $8,711 | Baseline needed | $50,756 |
| 6 | Columbia CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Vienna, VA | $28,460 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,171 |
| 7 | Florida National University-Main CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Hialeah, FL | $21,826 | $6,625 | Baseline needed | $23,043 |
| 8 | Manhattan School of Computer TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Brooklyn, NY | $20,188 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,706 |
| 9 | Diversified Vocational CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Los Angeles, CA | $19,235 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,711 |
| 10 | MDT College of Health SciencesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chicago, IL | $18,795 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,833 |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Whitewater, WI | Not available | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $14,158 |
| 12 | Hodges UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | $35,273 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.