English Language and Literature/Letters at Empire State University

Empire State University's English program achieves something remarkable: graduates earn nearly double the national median for English majors ($48,651 vs. $24,239), placing them in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile within New York. With debt just below $26,500—essentially the national median—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 is exceptionally manageable. For context, the top-ranked NY program at Bard College produces median earnings of just $17,237, less than half what Empire State graduates earn.

The earnings dip to $45,073 by year four deserves attention, but even after this decline, graduates still earn $12,000 more than the state median and nearly double the national average. This pattern might reflect graduates taking initial corporate jobs before transitioning to education, nonprofit work, or graduate school—common paths for English majors. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) suggests these numbers represent actual outcomes, not outliers.

For families worried about the "starving English major" stereotype, this program defies expectations. The combination of strong initial earnings, below-average debt, and a student body where 35% receive Pell grants indicates Empire State creates genuine economic mobility through a humanities degree—something increasingly rare. Even accounting for the earnings dip, this represents one of the strongest financial outcomes for English programs in the state.