BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a bachelor's degree in Literature worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 10 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$285,725 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.
391.5 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−97%Estimated return after 10 years
$45,749Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$172,510
$8,000Annual price−$204,510
$16,000Annual price−$236,510
$24,000Annual price−$268,510
$28,000Current college-wide context−$284,510
$32,000Annual price−$300,510
$40,000Annual price−$332,510
Outcomes at a glance
$45,749Typical earnings four years after completion
$46,877Average earnings five years after completion
$26,553Typical federal student debt
12thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
8College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Literature
How much do Literature bachelor's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $45,749 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $26,553. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Literature?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $42,674 to $49,153 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Literature?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,649
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,749
- Federal debt
- $26,553
- Programs in the comparison
- 10
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,707
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
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$42,674National median$45,74975th percentile$49,153
8 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
Pace University
$58,051 four years after completionNew York, NY · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtThe New School
$23,750 among completer borrowersNew York, NY · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classUniversity of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
39 reported awards in 2024–25Pittsburgh, PA · inspect the full program →PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$54,436Observed year-4 earnings$36,986
Pace University$30,892 price · $58,051 earningsAmerican University$41,943 price · $54,436 earningsSUNY at Purchase College$18,913 price · $49,153 earningsUniversity of Pittsburgh-Greensburg$17,945 price · $45,749 earningsUniversity of Pittsburgh-Johnstown$18,202 price · $45,749 earningsUniversity of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$30,434 price · $45,749 earningsThe New School$58,741 price · $42,674 earningsGrand Canyon University$22,472 price · $36,986 earnings
$17,945Annual college-wide average net price$41,943
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
10 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 10 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Pace University$58,0512American University$54,4363SUNY at Purchase College$49,1534University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg$45,7495University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown$45,7496University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$45,7497The New School$42,6748Grand Canyon University$36,9869University of California, Los AngelesNot available10Bennington CollegeNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,760 median wage57,720 jobs nationwide+0.0% projected growth through 2035 · 4,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$48,270–$137,250 typical wage rangeEditors$77,920 median wage91,690 jobs nationwide-1.1% projected growth through 2035 · 7,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$41,250–$153,700 typical wage rangeWriters and Authors$76,910 median wage47,940 jobs nationwide-0.3% projected growth through 2035 · 11,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$44,310–$139,870 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.