English Language and Literature, General: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 644 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What English Language and Literature, General pays
Career outlook for English Language and Literature, General graduates
The job market for the occupations English Language and Literature, General graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 1,094,500 | -1.6% | $64,580 | Bachelor's degree |
| English language and literature teachers, postsecondary | 72,200 | +0.0% | $78,270 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Proofreaders and copy markers | 12,000 | -0.6% | $49,210 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
English Language and Literature, General vs similar majors
How English Language and Literature, General stacks up against the closest fields in English Language & Literature on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| English Language and Literature, General English Language & Literature · this major | Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Literature | English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 25 F | 25 F | 24 F | 24 F |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Poor return | Poor return | Poor return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $48,706 | $51,439 | $49,108 | $46,640 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $31,109 | $33,958 | $25,467 | $39,250 |
| ROI vs cost | -54% | -21% | -49% | -80% |
| Typical debt | $22,149 | $26,839 | $24,981 | $21,867 |
| Colleges offering it | 644 | 173 | 11 | 12 |
English Language and Literature, General earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for English Language and Literature, General
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Master's | $69,985 | — | +1,810% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Associate's | $55,878 | — | +1,693% | Strong return |
| 3 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | Associate's | $64,875 | — | +1,658% | Strong return |
| 4 | California State University-Stanislaus Turlock, CA | Associate's | $63,144 | $13,000 | +975% | Strong return |
| 5 | CUNY City College New York, NY | Associate's | $56,288 | $11,878 | +850% | Strong return |
| 6 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $54,941 | $7,000 | +809% | Strong return |
| 7 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA | Associate's | $73,619 | — | +736% | Strong return |
| 8 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | Associate's | $53,181 | $9,319 | +735% | Strong return |
| 9 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX | Certificate | $59,973 | — | +675% | Strong return |
| 10 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | Certificate | $58,057 | — | +651% | Strong return |
| 11 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | Master's | $67,088 | — | +638% | Strong return |
| 12 | College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY | Associate's | $58,175 | $19,044 | +628% | Strong return |
| 13 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $52,636 | $13,533 | +601% | Strong return |
| 14 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Associate's | $90,619 | $17,000 | +599% | Strong return |
| 15 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA | Master's | $83,049 | $57,997 | +595% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Master's | $62,845 | — | +533% | Strong return |
| 17 | Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN | Master's | $65,373 | — | +526% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Master's | $57,934 | — | +490% | Strong return |
| 19 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Master's | $69,086 | $50,647 | +487% | Strong return |
| 20 | Rice University Houston, TX | Associate's | $60,641 | — | +485% | Strong return |
| 21 | Wofford College Spartanburg, SC | Associate's | $71,588 | $25,408 | +469% | Strong return |
| 22 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Associate's | $74,155 | $25,000 | +458% | Strong return |
| 23 | Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, NY | Associate's | $65,759 | $25,500 | +455% | Strong return |
| 24 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Associate's | $65,369 | $15,050 | +448% | Strong return |
| 25 | Duke University Durham, NC | Associate's | $78,024 | $15,362 | +410% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.