English Language and Literature at Colorado State University Pueblo

CSU Pueblo's English program yields first-year earnings of just $24,498—about $7,000 below Colorado's median for English degrees and more than $5,000 below the national benchmark. Among Colorado's 17 English programs, this ranks in the bottom quarter (25th percentile), trailing schools like Metro State Denver ($35,487) and even regional competitor Colorado Mesa ($33,622) by substantial margins. The debt load of $26,000 exceeds both state and national medians, creating a challenging 1.06 debt-to-earnings ratio in that critical first year.

The silver lining is impressive earnings growth: graduates see a 54% jump to $37,645 by year four. However, this improvement still leaves them earning less than many peers start with, and the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift significantly with more data. At a university with 100% admission and modest SAT scores, students may be trading selectivity for access, but the financial tradeoff appears steep for this particular major.

For families considering this program, the numbers suggest looking at alternatives. If your student is committed to English in Colorado, Metro State or CU Denver deliver substantially better earnings outcomes. If CSU Pueblo is the right fit for other reasons, understand that graduates face years of catching up financially—and even with strong growth, they're likely earning less than typical English majors elsewhere in the state.