English Language and Literature at Minnesota State University-Mankato

Minnesota State University-Mankato's English program starts graduates at just $25,136—roughly $4,000 below both the state and national medians for English majors. While the program sits at the 40th percentile in Minnesota (meaning more than half of the state's English programs produce better initial outcomes), the debt level of $25,000 is manageable given the nearly 1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio. The 28% earnings growth to $32,057 by year four helps narrow the gap somewhat, though graduates still trail peers from UMN-Duluth or Metropolitan State by several thousand dollars annually.

The big caveat here: these figures come from a very small sample size (under 30 graduates), which makes them less reliable than data from larger programs. The actual outcomes could vary significantly from what's shown. For families focused on maximizing early career earnings within Minnesota's English programs, schools like UMN-Duluth or even Metropolitan State appear to offer stronger returns. However, if your student is set on Mankato for other reasons—location, fit, or specific faculty—the debt burden won't be crushing, and the trajectory shows positive momentum. Just understand you're likely accepting below-median starting pay in exchange for other program benefits.