Federal data
Highest earning English language and literature programs in Illinois
Illinois English language and literature programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois State University | Normal | Public, 4-year | $39,563 | 107 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Champaign | Public, 4-year | $37,031 | 126 |
| 3 | Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public, 4-year | $36,594 | 45 |
| 4 | Northern Illinois University | Dekalb | Public, 4-year | $34,122 | 64 |
| 5 | Lake Forest College | Lake Forest | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $32,982 | 30 |
| 6 | Wheaton College | Wheaton | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $32,723 | 40 |
| 7 | Eastern Illinois University | Charleston | Public, 4-year | $31,933 | 30 |
| 8 | Northwestern University | Evanston | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $31,748 | 46 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Public, 4-year | $31,420 | 68 |
| 10 | University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Public, 4-year | $31,066 | 109 |
| 11 | DePaul University | Chicago | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $28,660 | 77 |
| 12 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $28,640 | 51 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.
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