English Language and Literature/Letters at Suffolk University

Suffolk University's English program posts impressively strong starting salaries—$41,252 places graduates in the 95th percentile nationally for this major, nearly $17,000 above the national median. That's a meaningful advantage for a humanities degree. However, the 60th percentile ranking within Massachusetts tells a different story: this performance is solid but not exceptional compared to the state's only other comparable program. With just two English programs reporting data in Massachusetts, the state comparison has limited usefulness.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $23,250, translating to a 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio—manageable for a liberal arts degree. Graduates earn enough in their first year to make steady progress on loans without being overwhelmed. The modest 4% earnings growth to year four ($43,006) suggests these graduates find stable work quickly rather than climbing into higher-paying careers over time, which is fairly typical for English majors who often pivot into communications, education, or administrative roles.

The critical caveat: this data represents fewer than 30 graduates, making it statistically unreliable. One or two alumni landing particularly good or poor jobs could skew these numbers significantly. For a parent evaluating this program, the data suggests Suffolk provides solid preparation, but you're essentially making a decision with limited visibility into typical outcomes. If your child is drawn to Suffolk specifically, the numbers aren't alarming—but given the small sample, consider this alongside other factors like specific career goals and the school's network in Boston's job market.