English Language and Literature at Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State University's English program punches far above its weight class, placing graduates in the 95th percentile nationally for earnings—well ahead of Michigan's flagship institutions. With first-year earnings of $39,334, graduates earn 36% more than the typical English major nationally and 29% more than Michigan's median. Even more impressive, they're out-earning English graduates from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ($33,742) and Michigan State ($28,927) by substantial margins, despite GVSU's 95% admission rate and modest average SAT scores.

The debt picture completes a compelling story. At $28,570, graduates carry manageable debt that's actually below the state median and positions them in the favorable 5th percentile nationally. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 means graduates owe less than a year's salary—a threshold that makes repayment realistic even on humanities wages. While earnings growth is modest at 5% over four years, starting from such a strong baseline matters more than rapid acceleration from a weak position.

For families worried about the practicality of an English degree, GVSU offers genuine evidence that program quality matters more than institutional prestige. This isn't about lowering expectations for a humanities major—it's about finding a program that demonstrably delivers stronger career outcomes than far more selective competitors.