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Best Schools for English Language and Literature, General

English Language and Literature, General graduates earn a median of $29,080 within two years of graduation, ranking #236 out of 292 tracked majors — 18% below the median across all fields. There are 651 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 28,769 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Santa Clara University graduates earn $47,260 while University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduates earn $15,552 — a $31,708 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is moderate: English Language and Literature, General graduates see an average 6% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

651
Schools
$29,080
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#236
of 292 Majors
28,769
Graduates

Public vs Private: English Language and Literature, General

Public (359 schools)
$28,101
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (268 schools)
$30,354
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $2,253 more in early earnings on average for English Language and Literature, General graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

English Language and Literature, General by State

New York
53 schools
$28,808
California
46 schools
$28,504
Texas
35 schools
$32,514
Pennsylvania
35 schools
$31,238
Massachusetts
32 schools
$34,081
Illinois
30 schools
$30,329
Ohio
24 schools
$28,209
Virginia
22 schools
$32,585

Top English Language and Literature, General Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
S

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,732
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 43.8%
#2
Y

Yale University

New Haven, CT · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,264
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 4.5%
#3
P

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $24,879
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 4.5%
#4
B

Brown University

Providence, RI · Private

$46,790
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,046
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 5.2%
#5
R

Rice University

Houston, TX · Private

$46,087
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,009
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 7.9%
#6
V

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, VA · Public

$46,087
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,671
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 81.7%
#7
S

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA · Private

$45,696
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,746
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 88.6%
#8
M

Monmouth University

West Long Branch, NJ · Private

$45,500
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,988
Grads: 49
Acceptance: 89.5%
#9
C

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA · Private

$44,590
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,588
Grads: 58
Acceptance: 21.1%
#10
E

East Texas A&M University

Commerce, TX · Public

$44,384
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,080
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 92.6%
#11
T

Trinity College

Hartford, CT · Private

$43,128
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,078
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 33.5%
#12
G

Georgetown University

Washington, DC · Private

$43,128
2yr Earnings
1yr: $49,812
Grads: 57
Acceptance: 13.1%
#13
F

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,519
Grads: 38
Acceptance: 45.0%
#14
I

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $26,309
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 45.2%
#15
V

Villanova University

Villanova, PA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,645
Grads: 36
Acceptance: 25.1%
#16
U

University of Houston-Clear Lake

Houston, TX · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,385
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 75.3%
#17
T

The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.5%
#18
M

Marymount University

Arlington, VA · Private

$42,235
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 80.5%
#19
B

Barnard College

New York, NY · Private

$41,937
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 8.0%
#20
B

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private

$41,667
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,672
Grads: 107
Acceptance: 15.7%
#21
C

Colby College

Waterville, ME · Private

$41,193
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 6.8%
#22
S

St. Mary's University

San Antonio, TX · Private

$41,007
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,673
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 88.9%
#23
C

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY · Private

$40,896
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,726
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 4.2%
#24
W

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC · Private

$40,896
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,018
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 21.6%
#25
C

Caldwell University

Caldwell, NJ · Private

$40,485
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,685
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 65.4%
#26
W

Williams College

Williamstown, MA · Private

$40,461
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,135
Grads: 39
Acceptance: 10.0%
#27
L

Loras College

Dubuque, IA · Private

$40,188
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,258
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 91.8%
#28
U

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · Private

$39,741
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,349
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 50.8%
#29
D

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH · Private

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,770
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 6.2%
#30
U

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN · Private

$39,585
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,143
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 12.4%
#31
G

Georgian Court University

Lakewood, NJ · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,941
Grads: 56
Acceptance: 70.5%
#32
U

University of Scranton

Scranton, PA · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.4%
#33
B

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, VA · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 90.8%
#34
L

Lee University

Cleveland, TN · Private

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $26,091
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 72.2%
#35
T

Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,359
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 95.0%
#36
D

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA · Private

$38,829
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,906
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 78.8%
#37
S

Spelman College

Atlanta, GA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,355
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 34.1%
#38
N

North Central College

Naperville, IL · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,272
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 58.3%
#39
D

DePauw University

Greencastle, IN · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 54.1%
#40
L

Lesley University

Cambridge, MA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,798
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 94.4%
#41
T

Tufts University

Medford, MA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,079
Grads: 36
Acceptance: 10.1%
#42
N

New Jersey City University

Jersey City, NJ · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $26,714
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 89.2%
#43
N

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,056
Grads: 81
Acceptance: 9.4%
#44
Y

Yeshiva University

New York, NY · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 63.7%
#45
D

Duke University

Durham, NC · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,241
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 6.8%
#46
C

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 28.7%
#47
U

University of Dayton

Dayton, OH · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,893
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 61.7%
#48
W

Wofford College

Spartanburg, SC · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,266
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 58.6%
#49
R

Randolph-Macon College

Ashland, VA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,681
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 83.4%
#50
H

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA · Private

$37,928
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,485
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 3.5%

Showing top 50 of 651 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Philosophy $29,453 Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies $29,452 Psychology, General $29,246 Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General $29,203 Physical Sciences, Other $29,116 Sociology and Anthropology $29,022

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for English Language and Literature, General?
Santa Clara University ranks #1 for English Language and Literature, General with median graduate earnings of $47,260 within two years. There are 651 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do English Language and Literature, General graduates earn?
English Language and Literature, General graduates earn an average of $29,080 within two years of graduation. This is 18% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $15,552 to $47,260 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top English Language and Literature, General program?
The average acceptance rate across English Language and Literature, General programs is 69.8%. The most selective program is at Harvard University with a 3.5% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for English Language and Literature, General?
Private English Language and Literature, General programs average $30,354 in early earnings vs $28,101 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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