English Language and Literature at Manhattan University

At just over $20,000 in first-year earnings, Manhattan University's English program produces income substantially below even New York State's modest median of $28,290 for English majors—and remember, NY itself already trails the national benchmark by about $1,700. While the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these specific numbers could shift, the pattern is concerning: graduates here earn less than 75% of what their peers at other NY schools typically make, and this gap compounds when you consider the $27,000 in debt they're carrying. That debt level isn't unusually high by itself, but paired with earnings in the bottom quarter of NY programs, it creates a 1.35 debt-to-earnings ratio that will make monthly loan payments genuinely difficult on this income.

The comparison to other accessible NY schools is telling. Hofstra University, which admits a similar percentage of applicants, sees its English graduates earning $35,637—nearly 80% more in that critical first year. Even accounting for location differences and small-sample volatility, Manhattan's numbers suggest graduates are struggling to convert their degree into adequate entry-level employment, whether in publishing, education, or adjacent fields.

Given these results, this program only makes sense if your child has specific circumstances: they're receiving substantial financial aid that dramatically reduces that $27,000 debt figure, or they have concrete professional connections that will bypass typical entry-level hiring. Otherwise, other NY schools demonstrate that English majors can launch with meaningfully stronger financial footing.