English Language and Literature at Tarleton State University

Tarleton State's English program outearns three-quarters of similar programs nationwide—a noteworthy achievement that deserves attention despite the small graduate sample. At $34,754 in first-year earnings, graduates earn more than the national median for English majors by nearly $5,000, though they land in the middle of the pack among Texas English programs where the median is $32,990.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $24,134, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. That's manageable territory for a humanities degree, meaning graduates would need roughly eight months of their gross salary to cover their debt load. The borrowing level sits right at the national median for English programs, which makes sense for a regional public university serving a substantial population of Pell-eligible students.

The major caveat: fewer than 30 students are represented in these figures, so individual circumstances heavily influence the averages. One graduate landing a particularly good or poor job could skew the picture. Still, the earnings advantage over the typical English program suggests Tarleton graduates are finding solid early-career opportunities, likely benefiting from the school's regional connections and Texas's diverse economy. For families concerned about the practicality of an English degree, these numbers demonstrate it can work—just recognize you're looking at a limited snapshot rather than a robust long-term pattern.