English Language and Literature at St. John's University-New York

St. John's English graduates start well below what most English majors earn nationally—$25,109 versus the national median of nearly $30,000—ranking in just the 21st percentile. Among New York's 83 English programs, this falls near the middle (40th percentile), but that still means trailing programs like Hofstra ($35,637) and even the state median of $28,290. The $27,000 in typical debt is manageable relative to first-year earnings, yet when you're starting $5,000 below the national average, every dollar of debt carries more weight.

The silver lining is genuine: earnings jump 64% by year four to $41,181, suggesting graduates find their footing once they've gained experience. That's a stronger growth trajectory than many humanities programs show. Still, this requires parents and students to plan for lean early years—possibly living at home or taking on supplemental work—while graduates build toward that better year-four income.

For families banking on an 80% admission rate and name recognition to translate into immediate career returns, this data tells a different story. St. John's English degree appears to be a slow build rather than a quick launch, which works if your student can weather the financial strain of those first few years out of college.