English Language and Literature at The University of Texas at San Antonio

UTSA's English program starts slow but shows something many humanities degrees don't: meaningful earnings growth. First-year graduates earn $31,004, but by year four that jumps to nearly $40,000—a 28% increase that suggests graduates are finding their footing in the job market. The debt load of $25,267 stays manageable relative to those later earnings, though it's worth noting this sits above the Texas median of $21,500 for English programs.

Here's the tension: while this program beats the national average and performs decently against English programs everywhere, it lands below the state median for Texas English degrees ($32,990 versus $39,601 by year four). The gap between UTSA and top Texas programs is substantial—University of Houston-Clear Lake graduates earn $50,876, and even UT Arlington comes in above $40,000. That 40th percentile state ranking reveals that Texas families have stronger in-state options for English if career earnings are the primary concern.

For a student committed to English literature who values UTSA's location and accessibility (88% admission rate, strong support for lower-income students), the upward earnings trajectory and reasonable debt make this workable. But families shopping among Texas public universities should know this isn't the strongest earnings performer for the major—it's adequate rather than exceptional, with the growth pattern offering the most encouraging signal about graduate outcomes.