English Language and Literature, General: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 614 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$220,009 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
66.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−85%Modeled 10-year ROI
$48,926Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$48,926Median reported earnings · year 4
$48,419Average reported earnings · year 5
$24,636Median federal debt
18thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
614Reporting programs
577With year-4 earnings
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.
OPEN PROFILE
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.
Median
25th percentile$43,733National median$48,92675th percentile$54,501
577 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Stanford University$82,0362Seattle University$78,9063Georgetown University$78,3704University of Chicago$78,1695Wake Forest University$77,8476College of the Holy Cross$74,2147Howard University$73,9298Brown University$73,4979Lehigh University$71,47410George Washington University$70,766Observed 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.
English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1123 · 1 crosswalk linksProofreaders and Copy MarkersSOC 43-9081 · 1 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford UniversityBachelor's Degree | Stanford, CA | $82,036 | Not available | +57% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Seattle UniversityBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $78,906 | $19,750 | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Georgetown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $78,370 | $16,500 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | University of ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $78,169 | Not available | +39% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Wake Forest UniversityBachelor's Degree | Winston-Salem, NC | $77,847 | $19,500 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | College of the Holy CrossBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $74,214 | $27,000 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Howard UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $73,929 | Not available | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Brown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $73,497 | $13,500 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Lehigh UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $71,474 | $19,707 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $70,766 | $23,250 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Boston CollegeBachelor's Degree | Chestnut Hill, MA | $70,141 | $18,832 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Tufts UniversityBachelor's Degree | Medford, MA | $69,475 | $14,670 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | CUNY York CollegeBachelor's Degree | Jamaica, NY | $69,380 | Not available | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | University of ScrantonBachelor's Degree | Scranton, PA | $69,349 | Not available | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Williams CollegeBachelor's Degree | Williamstown, MA | $69,065 | $13,125 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Elon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Elon, NC | $68,927 | Not available | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of San DiegoBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $68,752 | $24,000 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Trinity CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $68,063 | $22,592 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Northeastern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $67,877 | $27,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $67,877 | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 21 | Villanova UniversityBachelor's Degree | Villanova, PA | $67,157 | $26,899 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Loyola Marymount UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $66,806 | $22,565 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Emory UniversityBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $66,762 | $21,000 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | New York UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $66,306 | $22,625 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Seton Hall UniversityBachelor's Degree | South Orange, NJ | $65,714 | $25,139 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Amherst CollegeBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $65,195 | Not available | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $65,089 | $16,275 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Texas Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $64,885 | Not available | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Binghamton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Vestal, NY | $64,555 | $21,500 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $64,225 | $21,625 | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Loyola University MarylandBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $63,919 | $27,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $63,834 | $27,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Providence CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $63,736 | $25,500 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $63,413 | $23,956 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Fairfield UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfield, CT | $62,527 | $27,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Yale UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Haven, CT | $62,440 | Not available | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Spelman CollegeBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $62,425 | $25,564 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Brandeis UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waltham, MA | $62,291 | $26,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Northwestern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Evanston, IL | $62,147 | $15,564 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Bates CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lewiston, ME | $62,082 | Not available | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Assumption UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $62,073 | $27,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $61,989 | $19,500 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | St Lawrence UniversityBachelor's Degree | Canton, NY | $61,335 | $26,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Barnard CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $61,327 | $19,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Princeton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Princeton, NJ | $61,323 | Not available | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $60,998 | $19,500 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Gettysburg CollegeBachelor's Degree | Gettysburg, PA | $60,876 | $26,724 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Colgate UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hamilton, NY | $60,702 | $15,875 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $60,602 | $26,750 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | New Jersey City UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jersey City, NJ | $60,574 | $26,980 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Manhattan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Riverdale, NY | $60,508 | $27,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Vassar CollegeBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $60,461 | $19,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Vanderbilt UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $60,439 | $13,420 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Monmouth UniversityBachelor's Degree | West Long Branch, NJ | $60,220 | $27,000 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $60,187 | $13,500 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Stonehill CollegeBachelor's Degree | Easton, MA | $60,131 | $24,737 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $59,994 | $15,000 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Wellesley CollegeBachelor's Degree | Wellesley, MA | $59,865 | $12,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $59,650 | Not available | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Sonoma State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rohnert Park, CA | $59,418 | $18,239 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $59,396 | $25,500 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Wheaton College (Massachusetts)Bachelor's Degree | Norton, MA | $59,381 | $26,748 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $59,345 | $7,875 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $59,334 | $17,550 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | University of Maryland-College ParkBachelor's Degree | College Park, MD | $59,288 | $21,500 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | Siena UniversityBachelor's Degree | Loudonville, NY | $59,280 | $27,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | St. John's University-New YorkBachelor's Degree | Queens, NY | $59,267 | $27,000 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | National UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $59,192 | $26,437 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Gonzaga UniversityBachelor's Degree | Spokane, WA | $59,151 | $27,000 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $59,012 | $13,900 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | Lake Forest CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lake Forest, IL | $58,901 | $23,250 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $58,854 | $20,500 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | University of California, MercedBachelor's Degree | Merced, CA | $58,623 | $24,000 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | Boston UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $58,564 | $26,395 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Westmont CollegeBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $58,459 | $26,388 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | Drew UniversityBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $58,452 | $27,000 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | Mount Saint Mary CollegeBachelor's Degree | Newburgh, NY | $58,434 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | The University of the SouthBachelor's Degree | Sewanee, TN | $58,164 | $21,175 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Saint Michael's CollegeBachelor's Degree | Colchester, VT | $58,137 | $27,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | Dartmouth CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hanover, NH | $58,090 | $20,407 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | Chapman UniversityBachelor's Degree | Orange, CA | $58,055 | $22,750 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | Wofford CollegeBachelor's Degree | Spartanburg, SC | $58,036 | $25,941 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | University of RichmondBachelor's Degree | University of Richmond, VA | $58,014 | $22,980 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | Rowan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Glassboro, NJ | $57,895 | $26,554 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | University of DaytonBachelor's Degree | Dayton, OH | $57,868 | $24,398 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $57,809 | $16,937 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | Tulane University of LouisianaBachelor's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $57,752 | $20,652 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Moraga, CA | $57,651 | $24,125 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $57,649 | $18,017 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | William & MaryBachelor's Degree | Williamsburg, VA | $57,616 | $19,500 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Dickinson CollegeBachelor's Degree | Carlisle, PA | $57,603 | $19,000 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Saint Anselm CollegeBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $57,585 | $26,000 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | Drake UniversityBachelor's Degree | Des Moines, IA | $57,563 | Not available | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $57,547 | $19,500 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | James Madison UniversityBachelor's Degree | Harrisonburg, VA | $57,487 | $22,500 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | Mercy UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dobbs Ferry, NY | $57,069 | $27,000 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | University of Houston-Clear LakeBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $57,052 | $15,875 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusBachelor's Degree | Teaneck, NJ | $56,969 | $25,500 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham CampusBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $56,969 | $25,500 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | The College of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Ewing, NJ | $56,905 | $25,000 | -59% | Negative payoff |
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.