Federal data
Highest earning master's English language and literature programs in the United States
U.S. 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 | Middlebury College | Middlebury | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $75,793 | 61 |
| 2 | National University | San Diego | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $62,549 | 58 |
| 3 | Rutgers University | Camden | Public, 4-year | $53,234 | 34 |
| 4 | Arizona State University | Tempe | Public, 4-year | $52,030 | 154 |
| 5 | Ohio University | Athens | Public, 4-year | $51,403 | 36 |
| 6 | Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $45,184 | 616 |
| 7 | California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach | Public, 4-year | $35,917 | 32 |
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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