English Language and Literature at Xavier University

Xavier's English program shows a dramatic earnings trajectory that warrants careful consideration, though the small sample size means individual outcomes could vary widely. Recent graduates start at $25,683—below both national and Ohio medians—but by year four, earnings nearly double to $48,723. This puts them substantially ahead of the $30,063 four-year mark at nearby University of Dayton and well above Ohio's median for the program. That 90% growth rate suggests graduates may be leveraging the degree into fields beyond traditional English careers.

The debt burden of $26,798 sits right at the state median and is actually lower than the national average, which matters given the challenging first-year earnings. With a debt-to-income ratio just over 1.0, new graduates face tight budgets initially but should see that pressure ease significantly as their careers develop. The relatively low admission rate and modest Pell enrollment suggest Xavier attracts students with resources to weather that initial period.

The core question is whether your child fits the profile of graduates who achieve that strong year-four outcome. With fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, a handful of different career paths could skew these numbers considerably. If your child is entrepreneurial, willing to hustle through lean early years, or planning graduate school that could boost earnings, the trajectory looks promising. But if they need immediate earning power after graduation, programs at Wright State or Cincinnati might offer steadier starts.