College Rankings

Best English Schools

The top 25 of 501 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate English degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is English worth it?

The "starving artist" trope is tired, but the financial reality of an English degree is highly polarized. It absolutely pays off if you follow one of two distinct paths. Path one: elite liberal arts colleges and Ivy-adjacent universities that funnel you straight into high-paying consulting, publishing, or pre-law tracks. Path two: ultra-low-cost regional public universities with tight pipelines into local corporate communications, technical writing, or teaching. The catch? If you pay a private-school sticker price at a mid-tier institution without a clear pipeline to a lucrative industry, the math will crush you.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	Williams College	MA	53	$49,340	$17,716	+$423K
2	Dartmouth College	NH	52	$45,157	$29,519	+$333K
3	University of Houston-Clear Lake	TX	51	$50,876	$15,563†	+$447K
4	Georgetown University	DC	47	$52,122	$40,815	+$358K
5	University of Chicago	IL	47	$44,397	$14,860	+$385K
6	Texas Woman's University	TX	47	$38,171	$11,963†	+$334K
7	Bowdoin College	ME	46	$49,421	$14,398	+$437K
8	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	46	$37,031	$14,355†	+$313K
9	College of the Holy Cross	MA	45	$43,362	$38,782	+$278K
10	University of Virginia-Main Campus	VA	45	$40,092	$21,565†	+$315K
11	Columbia University in the City of New York	NY	45	$35,838	$21,590	+$272K
12	Vanderbilt University	TN	45	$34,633	$15,846	+$283K
13	Wofford College	SC	45	$34,478	$18,732	+$270K
14	CUNY Lehman College	NY	45	$34,337	$3,148†	+$331K
15	CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice	NY	45	$31,842	$3,203†	+$306K
16	Georgian Court University	NJ	44	$44,982	$19,285	+$373K
17	East Texas A&M University	TX	44	$43,470	$11,841†	+$387K
18	The University of Texas at Arlington	TX	44	$40,718	$13,951†	+$351K
19	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	CA	44	$34,718	$16,665†	+$281K
20	University of Michigan-Dearborn	MI	44	$32,758	$9,492†	+$290K
21	Southern Methodist University	TX	43	$47,019	$40,892	+$307K
22	University of Maryland-College Park	MD	43	$36,561	$15,678†	+$303K
23	Princeton University	NJ	43	$35,178	$6,128	+$327K
24	CUNY Queens College	NY	43	$28,290	$4,195†	+$266K
25	Brown University	RI	42	$50,437	$25,184	+$404K
26	Colgate University	NY	42	$48,008	$28,786	+$365K
27	Yale University	CT	42	$41,045	$23,777	+$315K
28	University of Notre Dame	IN	42	$40,345	$26,780	+$296K
29	Kean University	NJ	42	$36,257	$12,447†	+$313K
30	University of New Hampshire at Manchester	NH	42	$34,563	$9,992†	+$306K
31	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	42	$33,742	$13,138†	+$285K
32	Oakland University	MI	42	$31,746	$9,120†	+$281K
33	CUNY Hunter College	NY	42	$27,958	$2,984†	+$268K
34	CUNY City College	NY	42	$27,082	$3,776†	+$256K
35	College of Staten Island CUNY	NY	42	$26,548	$5,579†	+$243K
36	William & Mary	VA	41	$40,697	$19,096†	+$331K
37	East Central University	OK	41	$40,559	$8,683†	+$371K
38	Barnard College	NY	41	$40,414	$28,800	+$289K
39	University of Illinois Springfield	IL	41	$39,358	$9,833†	+$354K
40	Towson University	MD	41	$39,250	$17,413†	+$323K
41	Texas A&M University-San Antonio	TX	41	$39,152	$11,196†	+$347K
42	University of Utah	UT	41	$38,644	$16,200†	+$322K
43	University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online	NH	41	$34,563	$10,864†	+$302K
44	California State University-Sacramento	CA	41	$32,531	$9,338†	+$288K
45	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay	WI	40	$40,812	$13,369†	+$355K
46	Wellesley College	MA	40	$38,376	$25,496	+$282K
47	University of Wisconsin-River Falls	WI	40	$37,586	$14,054†	+$320K
48	New Jersey City University	NJ	40	$37,244	$16,053†	+$308K
49	Weber State University	UT	40	$34,224	$10,258†	+$301K
50	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	WA	40	$31,622	$14,091†	+$260K
51	Sonoma State University	CA	40	$31,282	$12,885†	+$261K
52	University of Florida	FL	40	$26,917	$6,541†	+$243K
53	California State University-Stanislaus	CA	40	$14,407	$6,067†	+$120K
54	Monmouth University	NJ	39	$50,737	$30,988	+$383K
55	Seton Hall University	NJ	39	$48,368	$31,446	+$358K
56	Boston College	MA	39	$41,878	$41,704	+$252K
57	University of Northern Iowa	IA	39	$41,870	$15,901†	+$355K
58	Keene State College	NH	39	$39,122	$17,887†	+$320K
59	Old Dominion University	VA	39	$36,054	$14,638†	+$302K
60	Emory University	GA	39	$36,019	$22,585	+$270K
61	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus	CO	39	$35,364	$11,900†	+$306K
62	University of Delaware	DE	39	$32,487	$17,799†	+$254K
63	Utah Valley University	UT	39	$31,492	$6,376†	+$289K
64	Purdue University Northwest	IN	39	$31,171	$6,079†	+$287K
65	University of Illinois Chicago	IL	39	$31,066	$10,974†	+$267K
66	Stanford University	CA	39	$30,544	$13,807	+$250K
67	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	39	$30,060	$11,655†	+$254K
68	CUNY Brooklyn College	NY	39	$29,557	$3,103†	+$283K
69	University of California-Los Angeles	CA	39	$27,889	$12,548†	+$229K
70	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus	CT	39	$27,335	$10,875†	+$230K
71	CUNY York College	NY	39	$26,460	$4,456†	+$247K
72	Mercy University	NY	39	$25,612	$14,072	+$200K
73	Stonehill College	MA	38	$44,629	$33,016	+$314K
74	University of Pennsylvania	PA	38	$40,967	$28,699	+$295K
75	Fitchburg State University	MA	38	$39,938	$14,262†	+$342K
76	Austin Peay State University	TN	38	$37,486	$9,735†	+$336K
77	Northeastern Illinois University	IL	38	$36,594	$14,109†	+$310K
78	Binghamton University	NY	38	$35,237	$21,620†	+$266K
79	Harvard University	MA	38	$30,838	$19,066	+$232K
80	Marshall University	WV	38	$30,195	$7,502†	+$272K
81	California State University-San Marcos	CA	38	$29,638	$10,229†	+$255K
82	University of California-Berkeley	CA	38	$27,462	$13,481†	+$221K
83	California State University-Northridge	CA	38	$27,452	$7,021†	+$246K
84	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	TX	38	$24,187	$4,831†	+$223K
85	California State University-Los Angeles	CA	38	$23,858	$3,967†	+$223K
86	Northeastern University	MA	37	$49,639	$30,915	+$373K
87	Bates College	ME	37	$40,233	$29,351	+$285K
88	Grand Valley State University	MI	37	$39,334	$16,317†	+$328K
89	University of North Georgia	GA	37	$35,733	$9,823†	+$318K
90	Cornell University	NY	37	$33,270	$28,690	+$218K
91	Indiana State University	IN	37	$32,336	$10,873†	+$280K
92	The University of Texas at El Paso	TX	37	$29,550	$9,403†	+$258K
93	Longwood University	VA	36	$40,167	$19,066†	+$325K
94	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	VA	36	$39,155	$24,953†	+$292K
95	George Washington University	DC	36	$38,985	$36,586	+$244K
96	Jacksonville State University	AL	36	$37,774	$14,279†	+$321K
97	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse	WI	36	$37,748	$16,210†	+$313K
98	Sam Houston State University	TX	36	$36,749	$16,404†	+$302K
99	Arkansas State University	AR	36	$35,114	$12,366†	+$302K
100	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	AZ	36	$33,615	$14,967†	+$276K
101	University of Houston-Downtown	TX	36	$33,146	$10,542†	+$289K
102	The University of Texas at San Antonio	TX	36	$31,004	$10,836†	+$267K
103	University of Connecticut-Avery Point	CT	36	$27,335	$13,807†	+$218K
104	Texas A & M International University	TX	36	$25,077	$3,637†	+$236K
105	Utah Tech University	UT	35	$42,110	$16,039†	+$357K
106	Amherst College	MA	35	$41,979	$23,367	+$326K
107	Gettysburg College	PA	35	$40,601	$31,490	+$280K
108	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	WI	35	$39,591	$16,550†	+$330K
109	Illinois State University	IL	35	$39,563	$19,398†	+$318K
110	Villanova University	PA	35	$37,643	$43,756	+$201K
111	Central Connecticut State University	CT	35	$35,859	$16,857†	+$291K
112	University of San Francisco	CA	35	$35,468	$41,431	+$189K
113	University of Southern Indiana	IN	35	$35,062	$12,923†	+$299K
114	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	35	$34,739	$19,857†	+$268K
115	Bridgewater State University	MA	35	$34,569	$16,383†	+$280K
116	San Francisco State University	CA	35	$32,339	$12,278†	+$274K
117	Indiana University-Southeast	IN	35	$32,235	$7,888†	+$291K
118	University of Houston	TX	35	$31,513	$14,276†	+$258K
119	Florida State University	FL	35	$29,534	$11,297†	+$250K
120	Rhode Island College	RI	35	$29,389	$9,478†	+$256K
121	Portland State University	OR	35	$27,819	$9,552†	+$240K
122	Miami University-Hamilton	OH	35	$27,356	$11,286†	+$228K
123	Miami University-Middletown	OH	35	$27,356	$10,809†	+$230K
124	California State University-Long Beach	CA	35	$22,933	$10,440†	+$188K
125	Lesley University	MA	34	$38,442	$31,152	+$260K
126	Rowan University	NJ	34	$37,815	$22,408†	+$289K
127	Northern Illinois University	IL	34	$34,122	$13,391†	+$288K
128	Wright State University-Lake Campus	OH	34	$33,011	$11,081†	+$286K
129	State University of New York at Oswego	NY	34	$31,331	$16,236†	+$248K
130	University of South Florida	FL	34	$30,696	$9,812†	+$268K
131	University of Central Florida	FL	34	$30,425	$10,411†	+$263K
132	Governors State University	IL	34	$29,580	$12,329†	+$246K
133	Indiana University-East	IN	34	$28,920	$8,134†	+$257K
134	SUNY Old Westbury	NY	34	$27,142	$11,282†	+$226K
135	Florida International University	FL	34	$27,037	$9,288†	+$233K
136	California State University-Fullerton	CA	34	$23,783	$6,555†	+$212K
137	Florida Atlantic University	FL	34	$23,264	$8,752†	+$198K
138	Gonzaga University	WA	33	$41,077	$35,119	+$270K
139	University of South Alabama	AL	33	$40,486	$17,648†	+$334K
140	Framingham State University	MA	33	$37,188	$16,114†	+$307K
141	Washington & Jefferson College	PA	33	$37,046	$25,002	+$270K
142	Whitworth University	WA	33	$36,387	$26,534	+$258K
143	Elon University	NC	33	$36,302	$41,555	+$197K
144	University of Massachusetts-Boston	MA	33	$35,820	$17,707†	+$287K
145	Saint Anselm College	NH	33	$35,584	$34,779	+$217K
146	Stephen F Austin State University	TX	33	$35,502	$14,260†	+$298K
147	Metropolitan State University of Denver	CO	33	$35,487	$15,327†	+$294K
148	Purdue University-Main Campus	IN	33	$35,378	$14,600†	+$295K
149	George Mason University	VA	33	$33,173	$17,915†	+$260K
150	University of North Texas	TX	33	$32,892	$15,649†	+$266K
151	Utah State University	UT	33	$32,199	$14,936†	+$262K
152	Northern Kentucky University	KY	33	$31,926	$8,191†	+$286K
153	Middle Tennessee State University	TN	33	$31,554	$13,359†	+$262K
154	Wake Forest University	NC	33	$31,449	$28,719	+$200K
155	Idaho State University	ID	33	$31,441	$12,193†	+$266K
156	Montclair State University	NJ	33	$31,317	$15,566†	+$251K
157	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	PA	33	$31,266	$29,689	+$194K
158	University of Nebraska at Omaha	NE	33	$29,685	$13,441†	+$243K
159	Ohio State University-Marion Campus	OH	33	$29,605	$11,488†	+$250K
160	Brigham Young University	UT	33	$29,305	$15,564	+$231K
161	University of Maryland-Baltimore County	MD	33	$27,547	$16,467†	+$210K
162	University of Connecticut-Stamford	CT	33	$27,335	$16,798†	+$206K
163	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus	CT	33	$27,335	$16,403†	+$208K
164	University of California-Santa Barbara	CA	33	$24,099	$16,109†	+$177K
165	University of California-Riverside	CA	33	$23,139	$14,304†	+$174K
166	Chapman University	CA	32	$40,861	$46,555	+$222K
167	Lebanon Valley College	PA	32	$40,151	$26,979	+$294K
168	St. Mary's University	TX	32	$39,752	$21,145	+$313K
169	Westminster University	UT	32	$39,026	$27,094	+$282K
170	University of Richmond	VA	32	$38,333	$31,309	+$258K
171	The University of Texas at Tyler	TX	32	$38,089	$13,323†	+$328K
172	The College of New Jersey	NJ	32	$35,925	$27,646†	+$249K
173	McDaniel College	MD	32	$35,793	$21,916	+$270K
174	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	WI	32	$34,633	$14,305†	+$289K
175	University of Wyoming	WY	32	$33,677	$13,599†	+$282K
176	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	WI	32	$33,318	$14,158†	+$277K
177	Worcester State University	MA	32	$33,022	$13,381†	+$277K
178	University at Albany	NY	32	$31,940	$17,167†	+$251K
179	St. Mary's College of Maryland	MD	32	$30,025	$18,441†	+$226K
180	University of North Carolina at Greensboro	NC	32	$29,494	$10,965†	+$251K
181	Brigham Young University-Idaho	ID	32	$28,025	$8,221	+$247K
182	Florida Gulf Coast University	FL	32	$27,097	$12,568†	+$221K
183	University of California-Irvine	CA	32	$26,021	$14,251†	+$203K
184	California State University-Fresno	CA	32	$24,010	$7,000†	+$212K
185	Clayton State University	GA	32	$22,874	$8,365†	+$195K
186	Westmont College	CA	31	$37,806	$29,053	+$262K
187	South Dakota State University	SD	31	$37,252	$19,841†	+$293K
188	University of Maryland Global Campus	MD	31	$35,630	$22,063†	+$268K
189	Wayne State University	MI	31	$35,549	$12,766†	+$304K
190	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	CO	31	$34,627	$15,788†	+$283K
191	University of Southern Maine	ME	31	$33,014	$13,596†	+$276K
192	North Carolina State University at Raleigh	NC	31	$32,694	$17,303†	+$258K
193	Texas State University	TX	31	$32,482	$16,805†	+$258K
194	University of Arizona	AZ	31	$32,155	$16,674†	+$255K
195	Northwestern University	IL	31	$31,748	$29,167	+$201K
196	University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth	MA	31	$31,661	$20,927†	+$233K
197	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre	PA	31	$29,848	$16,448†	+$233K
198	Ohio State University-Lima Campus	OH	31	$29,605	$12,940†	+$244K
199	Stony Brook University	NY	31	$29,480	$18,784†	+$220K
200	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	31	$28,526	$17,354†	+$216K
201	University of North Florida	FL	31	$27,396	$10,154†	+$233K
202	California State University-Chico	CA	31	$27,045	$14,480†	+$213K
203	Murray State University	KY	31	$25,543	$9,096†	+$219K
204	California State University-Channel Islands	CA	31	$24,748	$9,849†	+$208K
205	California State University-San Bernardino	CA	31	$23,250	$4,564†	+$214K
206	Duke University	NC	31	$20,483	$29,612	+$86K
207	Providence College	RI	30	$40,798	$48,523	+$214K
208	Iowa State University	IA	30	$38,375	$18,589†	+$309K
209	Washburn University	KS	30	$36,598	$15,280†	+$305K
210	University of Nebraska at Kearney	NE	30	$35,419	$16,242†	+$289K
211	Tufts University	MA	30	$34,689	$39,998	+$187K
212	Assumption University	MA	30	$34,206	$29,498	+$224K
213	Angelo State University	TX	30	$33,087	$15,091†	+$271K
214	Salem State University	MA	30	$32,844	$15,996†	+$264K
215	Georgia Southern University	GA	30	$32,811	$15,267†	+$267K
216	Eastern Illinois University	IL	30	$31,933	$12,786†	+$268K
217	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	WI	30	$31,896	$14,559†	+$261K
218	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	IL	30	$31,420	$14,889†	+$255K
219	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	30	$31,258	$16,778†	+$245K
220	Texas A&M University-College Station	TX	30	$31,002	$21,315†	+$225K
221	University of Mary Washington	VA	30	$30,540	$20,667†	+$223K
222	Washington State University	WA	30	$28,876	$14,971†	+$229K
223	Northern Arizona University	AZ	30	$28,663	$14,158†	+$230K
224	University of Nevada-Las Vegas	NV	30	$27,315	$10,359†	+$232K
225	University of California-Davis	CA	30	$25,477	$14,741†	+$196K
226	Brandeis University	MA	29	$39,867	$35,736	+$256K
227	Luther College	IA	29	$38,490	$23,097	+$293K
228	Gordon College	MA	29	$36,462	$24,883	+$265K
229	Augustana University	SD	29	$36,247	$23,894	+$267K
230	Meredith College	NC	29	$35,619	$22,488	+$266K
231	University of Central Arkansas	AR	29	$35,338	$16,511†	+$287K
232	University of Minnesota-Duluth	MN	29	$35,118	$18,743†	+$276K
233	Tarleton State University	TX	29	$34,754	$20,783†	+$264K
234	University of New Hampshire-Main Campus	NH	29	$34,563	$23,805†	+$250K
235	Colorado Mesa University	CO	29	$33,622	$15,103†	+$276K
236	Northeastern State University	OK	29	$33,266	$12,710†	+$282K
237	Wright State University-Main Campus	OH	29	$33,011	$15,415†	+$268K
238	Eastern Connecticut State University	CT	29	$30,616	$21,067†	+$222K
239	University of Rhode Island	RI	29	$30,137	$21,440†	+$216K
240	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton	PA	29	$29,848	$17,910†	+$227K
241	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington	PA	29	$29,848	$18,071†	+$226K
242	Ohio State University-Newark Campus	OH	29	$29,605	$14,767†	+$237K
243	Truman State University	MO	29	$29,001	$12,780†	+$239K
244	Southern Utah University	UT	29	$28,818	$10,462†	+$246K
245	Indiana University-Indianapolis	IN	29	$27,234	$11,668†	+$226K
246	Texas Tech University	TX	29	$26,518	$19,070†	+$189K
247	Rutgers University-Camden	NJ	29	$26,310	$18,745†	+$188K
248	University of Louisiana at Lafayette	LA	29	$25,271	$13,530†	+$199K
249	University of Georgia	GA	29	$23,022	$13,936†	+$174K
250	Youngstown State University	OH	29	$22,831	$12,767†	+$177K
251	Millersville University of Pennsylvania	PA	28	$36,865	$20,787†	+$286K
252	Salisbury University	MD	28	$35,283	$17,743†	+$282K
253	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	PA	28	$34,205	$19,608†	+$264K
254	Bucknell University	PA	28	$34,043	$40,766	+$177K
255	Metropolitan State University	MN	28	$33,999	$16,863†	+$273K
256	Clemson University	SC	28	$33,509	$22,253†	+$246K
257	Auburn University	AL	28	$33,213	$24,323†	+$235K
258	Lake Forest College	IL	28	$32,982	$28,673	+$215K
259	Wheaton College	IL	28	$32,723	$26,975	+$219K
260	Western Washington University	WA	28	$32,334	$21,193†	+$239K
261	University of Missouri-Kansas City	MO	28	$32,054	$13,310†	+$267K
262	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	NC	28	$32,021	$15,435†	+$258K
263	Eastern Washington University	WA	28	$31,592	$13,886†	+$260K
264	Spelman College	GA	28	$31,129	$38,967	+$155K
265	Loyola University Maryland	MD	28	$30,949	$30,574	+$187K
266	University of Northern Colorado	CO	28	$30,689	$17,760†	+$236K
267	University of Massachusetts-Lowell	MA	28	$30,408	$17,163†	+$235K
268	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York	PA	28	$29,848	$19,047†	+$222K
269	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	PA	28	$29,848	$19,550†	+$220K
270	Valdosta State University	GA	28	$29,121	$10,945†	+$247K
271	Michigan State University	MI	28	$28,927	$19,680†	+$211K
272	SUNY Brockport	NY	28	$27,954	$16,353†	+$214K
273	Rutgers University-Newark	NJ	28	$26,310	$19,703†	+$184K
274	San Diego State University	CA	28	$24,157	$15,364†	+$180K
275	Berea College	KY	28	$13,403	$6,106	+$110K
276	Hofstra University	NY	27	$35,637	$34,176	+$220K
277	University of Iowa	IA	27	$34,116	$22,531†	+$251K
278	Elmhurst University	IL	27	$33,947	$24,185	+$243K
279	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	NE	27	$31,749	$17,747†	+$247K
280	University of Vermont	VT	27	$31,293	$19,343†	+$236K
281	North Carolina A & T State University	NC	27	$30,995	$10,846†	+$267K
282	University of Missouri-Columbia	MO	27	$30,488	$20,268†	+$224K
283	University of South Carolina-Upstate	SC	27	$30,150	$13,557†	+$247K
284	New York University	NY	27	$29,967	$37,050	+$151K
285	Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts	MA	27	$29,677	$16,068†	+$232K
286	Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus	OH	27	$29,605	$16,197†	+$231K
287	SUNY College at Geneseo	NY	27	$29,422	$18,211†	+$221K
288	Christopher Newport University	VA	27	$29,310	$23,015†	+$201K
289	University of California-Merced	CA	27	$29,152	$11,983†	+$244K
290	St. Joseph's University-New York	NY	27	$28,605	$19,035	+$210K
291	Western Kentucky University	KY	27	$27,950	$10,990†	+$236K
292	SUNY Oneonta	NY	27	$27,593	$19,158†	+$199K
293	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	27	$26,694	$16,264†	+$202K
294	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	PA	27	$26,350	$18,134†	+$191K
295	University of North Alabama	AL	27	$26,213	$12,170†	+$213K
296	Eastern Michigan University	MI	27	$25,412	$15,407†	+$192K
297	Colorado State University Pueblo	CO	27	$24,498	$10,051†	+$205K
298	Nazareth University	NY	26	$36,200	$29,357	+$245K
299	University of Rochester	NY	26	$35,053	$29,278	+$233K
300	Saint Michael's College	VT	26	$34,348	$25,239	+$243K
301	Saint Louis University	MO	26	$33,893	$24,398	+$241K
302	Willamette University	OR	26	$32,863	$25,121	+$228K
303	Bellarmine University	KY	26	$32,295	$21,499	+$237K
304	Drew University	NJ	26	$32,279	$24,280	+$226K
305	West Texas A & M University	TX	26	$32,172	$19,487†	+$244K
306	Kansas State University	KS	26	$31,364	$19,406†	+$236K
307	University of Central Oklahoma	OK	26	$31,214	$18,309†	+$239K
308	Western Illinois University	IL	26	$30,652	$12,937†	+$255K
309	Le Moyne College	NY	26	$30,048	$22,277	+$211K
310	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona	PA	26	$29,848	$22,213†	+$210K
311	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	26	$29,605	$17,339†	+$227K
312	East Carolina University	NC	26	$29,133	$15,739†	+$228K
313	University of Louisville	KY	26	$28,994	$17,988†	+$218K
314	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	WI	26	$28,690	$15,014†	+$227K
315	Hamline University	MN	26	$27,863	$20,744	+$196K
316	University of South Carolina Aiken	SC	26	$27,546	$11,641†	+$229K
317	University of Connecticut	CT	26	$27,335	$25,097†	+$173K
318	Shepherd University	WV	26	$27,186	$11,363†	+$226K
319	University of Memphis	TN	26	$25,948	$12,397†	+$210K
320	Georgia State University	GA	26	$25,559	$15,931†	+$192K
321	University of West Florida	FL	26	$25,035	$9,364†	+$213K
322	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	MA	26	$24,521	$22,383†	+$156K
323	University of Dallas	TX	25	$35,038	$22,610	+$260K
324	Montana State University	MT	25	$33,483	$22,499†	+$245K
325	University of Arkansas at Little Rock	AR	25	$32,883	$17,248†	+$260K
326	Benedictine College	KS	25	$32,214	$27,891	+$211K
327	Southeastern Louisiana University	LA	25	$31,136	$13,154†	+$259K
328	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi	TX	25	$31,134	$15,225†	+$250K
329	Southern Connecticut State University	CT	25	$31,016	$20,857†	+$227K
330	Lee University	TN	25	$30,977	$18,878	+$234K
331	Stockton University	NJ	25	$30,338	$20,670†	+$221K
332	Western Carolina University	NC	25	$29,927	$13,315†	+$246K
333	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	PA	25	$29,848	$23,330†	+$205K
334	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine	PA	25	$29,848	$22,585†	+$208K
335	College of Charleston	SC	25	$29,544	$18,960†	+$220K
336	St Olaf College	MN	25	$29,398	$23,874	+$198K
337	Oregon State University-Cascades Campus	OR	25	$29,154	$18,048†	+$219K
338	William Paterson University of New Jersey	NJ	25	$27,573	$18,745†	+$201K
339	Kennesaw State University	GA	25	$26,801	$15,048†	+$208K
340	Columbus State University	GA	25	$23,987	$13,115†	+$187K
341	University of Akron Main Campus	OH	25	$23,923	$13,946†	+$183K
342	University of Miami	FL	25	$19,314	$37,244	+$44K
343	Midwestern State University	TX	25	$18,781	$11,656†	+$141K
344	Gustavus Adolphus College	MN	24	$33,456	$22,900	+$243K
345	Siena University	NY	24	$31,655	$33,733	+$182K
346	Bloomfield College of Montclair State University	NJ	24	$31,317	$28,014†	+$201K
347	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	24	$30,946	$25,648†	+$207K
348	Tulane University of Louisiana	LA	24	$30,318	$39,949	+$143K
349	University of Dayton	OH	24	$30,063	$29,533	+$182K
350	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College	PA	24	$29,848	$24,558†	+$200K
351	Oregon State University	OR	24	$29,154	$19,604†	+$213K
352	Cleveland State University	OH	24	$28,649	$14,764†	+$227K
353	Winthrop University	SC	24	$28,219	$15,343†	+$221K
354	Saint Cloud State University	MN	24	$28,145	$13,529†	+$227K
355	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	NJ	24	$26,310	$24,406†	+$165K
356	Syracuse University	NY	24	$25,860	$38,793	+$103K
357	Radford University	VA	24	$25,407	$14,578†	+$196K
358	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	NM	24	$24,808	$15,489†	+$186K
359	Valparaiso University	IN	24	$23,909	$18,578	+$165K
360	State University of New York at New Paltz	NY	24	$23,862	$18,809†	+$163K
361	Boston University	MA	24	$23,579	$24,402	+$138K
362	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga	TN	24	$22,999	$14,265†	+$173K
363	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	24	$16,242	$15,300†	+$101K
364	Carthage College	WI	23	$34,587	$26,565	+$240K
365	University of Alabama at Birmingham	AL	23	$32,324	$18,749†	+$248K
366	Pennsylvania Western University	PA	23	$29,529	$18,256†	+$222K
367	Minnesota State University Moorhead	MN	23	$29,491	$17,997†	+$223K
368	University of Maine	ME	23	$28,727	$17,510†	+$217K
369	DePaul University	IL	23	$28,660	$30,902	+$163K
370	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	PA	23	$28,216	$15,699†	+$219K
371	Plymouth State University	NH	23	$27,833	$19,216†	+$201K
372	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	OK	23	$27,775	$17,447†	+$208K
373	Colorado State University-Fort Collins	CO	23	$27,549	$21,279†	+$190K
374	Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies	MO	23	$26,057	$10,566	+$218K
375	University of Nevada-Reno	NV	23	$24,797	$15,927†	+$184K
376	University of North Carolina Wilmington	NC	23	$24,384	$20,109†	+$163K
377	Kalamazoo College	MI	23	$24,329	$19,072	+$167K
378	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	PA	23	$22,588	$16,804†	+$159K
379	Kent State University at Stark	OH	23	$22,318	$10,897†	+$180K
380	Kent State University at Trumbull	OH	23	$22,318	$11,135†	+$179K
381	Eastern Kentucky University	KY	23	$20,091	$11,040†	+$157K
382	Muhlenberg College	PA	23	$17,062	$28,905	+$55K
383	Liberty University	VA	22	$32,890	$29,357	+$211K
384	Goucher College	MD	22	$32,545	$22,470	+$236K
385	Duquesne University	PA	22	$31,887	$37,730	+$168K
386	University of Puget Sound	WA	22	$29,291	$38,394	+$139K
387	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	PA	22	$28,924	$23,726†	+$194K
388	Loyola University Chicago	IL	22	$28,640	$36,079	+$142K
389	Fairfield University	CT	22	$27,206	$48,095	+$80K
390	University of South Dakota	SD	22	$26,957	$19,858†	+$190K
391	Fordham University	NY	22	$26,652	$44,338	+$89K
392	Ball State University	IN	22	$26,572	$14,940†	+$206K
393	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	TN	22	$26,476	$18,976†	+$189K
394	Georgia College & State University	GA	22	$26,308	$20,686†	+$180K
395	James Madison University	VA	22	$26,049	$23,322†	+$167K
396	Xavier University	OH	22	$25,683	$32,997	+$125K
397	Coastal Carolina University	SC	22	$25,310	$13,966†	+$197K
398	Purdue University Fort Wayne	IN	22	$24,853	$13,171†	+$196K
399	University of California-San Diego	CA	22	$24,523	$12,470†	+$195K
400	Kent State University at Ashtabula	OH	22	$22,318	$12,205†	+$174K
401	Kent State University at Geauga	OH	22	$22,318	$12,044†	+$175K
402	Texas A&M University-Victoria	TX	22	$19,493	$8,109†	+$162K
403	University of Colorado Boulder	CO	21	$31,825	$25,346†	+$217K
404	The University of the South	TN	21	$31,218	$27,872	+$201K
405	Seattle Pacific University	WA	21	$30,737	$24,488	+$209K
406	Southern New Hampshire University	NH	21	$30,733	$36,708	+$160K
407	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	21	$29,848	$32,875†	+$167K
408	St Lawrence University	NY	21	$29,493	$28,651	+$180K
409	Miami University-Oxford	OH	21	$27,356	$28,384†	+$160K
410	Franciscan University of Steubenville	OH	21	$27,354	$23,589	+$179K
411	Moravian University	PA	21	$27,135	$30,670	+$149K
412	St. John Fisher University	NY	21	$27,105	$28,945	+$155K
413	Virginia Commonwealth University	VA	21	$27,005	$23,433†	+$176K
414	Lewis & Clark College	OR	21	$26,998	$36,013	+$126K
415	University of Arkansas	AR	21	$26,369	$18,209†	+$191K
416	University of Kansas	KS	21	$26,184	$18,059†	+$190K
417	Connecticut College	CT	21	$25,936	$36,175	+$115K
418	Fort Lewis College	CO	21	$25,718	$17,296†	+$188K
419	Mississippi State University	MS	21	$25,651	$17,595†	+$186K
420	Dickinson College	PA	21	$25,510	$37,607	+$105K
421	Central Michigan University	MI	21	$25,367	$17,597†	+$183K
422	Minnesota State University-Mankato	MN	21	$25,136	$19,139†	+$175K
423	Smith College	MA	21	$25,023	$27,579	+$140K
424	University of Mississippi	MS	21	$24,389	$13,314†	+$191K
425	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	IL	21	$24,145	$13,297†	+$188K
426	West Virginia University	WV	21	$23,182	$15,634†	+$169K
427	University of San Diego	CA	21	$22,475	$30,365	+$103K
428	Kent State University at Tuscarawas	OH	21	$22,318	$12,542†	+$173K
429	Nicholls State University	LA	21	$22,030	$12,947†	+$169K
430	The College of Wooster	OH	20	$30,746	$23,458	+$214K
431	Wheaton College (Massachusetts)	MA	20	$29,221	$29,822	+$173K
432	John Carroll University	OH	20	$29,095	$28,746	+$176K
433	Temple University	PA	20	$28,914	$28,198†	+$176K
434	Wichita State University	KS	20	$27,585	$13,194†	+$223K
435	Dominican University New York	NY	20	$26,422	$41,832	+$97K
436	University of South Carolina-Columbia	SC	20	$25,729	$22,811†	+$166K
437	Whitman College	WA	20	$25,574	$33,313	+$122K
438	Trinity University	TX	20	$25,216	$23,464	+$158K
439	St. John's University-New York	NY	20	$25,109	$29,999	+$131K
440	Vassar College	NY	20	$24,614	$39,343	+$89K
441	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	LA	20	$24,355	$19,151†	+$167K
442	University of Toledo	OH	20	$24,301	$17,249†	+$174K
443	University of West Georgia	GA	20	$24,055	$12,786†	+$189K
444	Kent State University at East Liverpool	OH	20	$22,318	$13,392†	+$170K
445	Kent State University at Salem	OH	20	$22,318	$13,799†	+$168K
446	Loyola Marymount University	CA	20	$19,346	$48,381	−$64
447	University of North Carolina Asheville	NC	20	$19,136	$12,250†	+$142K
448	California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt	CA	20	$13,896	$13,171†	+$86K
449	University of Denver	CO	19	$30,246	$36,131	+$158K
450	Kenyon College	OH	19	$29,962	$38,512	+$146K
451	Randolph-Macon College	VA	19	$27,110	$27,866	+$160K
452	Skidmore College	NY	19	$26,058	$32,297	+$131K
453	Southwestern University	TX	19	$25,060	$29,224	+$134K
454	The University of Alabama	AL	19	$25,045	$22,420†	+$161K
455	State University of New York at Plattsburgh	NY	19	$24,995	$17,156†	+$181K
456	Morehouse College	GA	19	$24,659	$39,013	+$91K
457	Ursinus College	PA	19	$24,373	$30,536	+$122K
458	Columbia College	MO	19	$24,240	$22,715	+$152K
459	Regent University	VA	19	$23,986	$19,923	+$160K
460	Hope College	MI	19	$23,815	$27,182	+$129K
461	Stetson University	FL	19	$21,520	$19,372	+$138K
462	The University of Montana	MT	19	$21,447	$16,784†	+$147K
463	University of Louisiana at Monroe	LA	19	$20,834	$13,466†	+$154K
464	University of Hawaii at Manoa	HI	19	$20,570	$15,664†	+$143K
465	University of New Orleans	LA	19	$20,265	$12,384†	+$153K
466	Corban University	OR	18	$28,836	$28,035	+$176K
467	Baldwin Wallace University	OH	18	$26,760	$27,603	+$157K
468	Troy University	AL	18	$25,888	$16,527†	+$193K
469	Occidental College	CA	18	$23,605	$38,263	+$83K
470	Appalachian State University	NC	18	$23,397	$16,836†	+$167K
471	University of Kentucky	KY	18	$21,404	$18,851†	+$139K
472	University at Buffalo	NY	18	$21,208	$20,995†	+$128K
473	Carleton College	MN	18	$20,780	$25,407	+$106K
474	Hendrix College	AR	18	$18,668	$24,149	+$90K
475	California Baptist University	CA	17	$26,123	$26,285	+$156K
476	Marist University	NY	17	$25,615	$41,544	+$90K
477	Boise State University	ID	17	$24,861	$21,610†	+$162K
478	Alma College	MI	17	$24,280	$20,694	+$160K
479	Messiah University	PA	17	$22,621	$26,502	+$120K
480	Manhattan University	NY	17	$20,013	$27,256	+$91K
481	Oberlin College	OH	17	$19,734	$38,645	+$43K
482	Harding University	AR	17	$19,588	$22,130	+$107K
483	University of La Verne	CA	17	$19,382	$20,161	+$113K
484	Furman University	SC	17	$16,583	$30,308	+$45K
485	Whittier College	CA	16	$26,317	$25,757	+$160K
486	Drury University	MO	16	$26,057	$20,831	+$177K
487	Hollins University	VA	16	$25,876	$20,896	+$175K
488	Rollins College	FL	16	$25,777	$34,732	+$119K
489	East Tennessee State University	TN	16	$21,836	$15,983†	+$154K
490	Biola University	CA	16	$21,624	$31,495	+$90K
491	Missouri State University-Springfield	MO	16	$21,392	$17,613†	+$143K
492	Mount Holyoke College	MA	15	$22,680	$26,441	+$121K
493	Clark University	MA	15	$22,670	$28,714	+$112K
494	Kent State University at Kent	OH	15	$22,318	$20,787†	+$140K
495	University of Scranton	PA	15	$22,159	$32,568	+$91K
496	Belmont University	TN	14	$22,360	$33,147	+$91K
497	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	OH	14	$21,825	$24,022†	+$122K
498	Flagler College	FL	13	$21,236	$30,525	+$90K
499	Guilford College	NC	13	$19,742	$22,270	+$108K
500	University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez	PR	13	$7,780	$17,936†	+$6K
501	Reed College	OR	12	$15,790	$33,013	+$26K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

Williams College takes the #1 spot because its English program is a quiet powerhouse for elite career placement. The legendary Williams alumni network (the "Eph" mafia) ensures that English majors aren't just discussing Chaucer; they are heavily recruited by top-tier management consulting firms, prestigious law schools, and New York publishing houses. Combine that elite access with a massive endowment that drastically subsidizes tuition for most students, and you get an unbeatable return on investment.

The biggest shock on this board is the sheer dominance of regional Texas universities, led by the University of Houston-Clear Lake at #3—beating out Georgetown and UChicago. This is no glitch. UH-Clear Lake sits right in the middle of the Houston aerospace and petrochemical hubs. These heavy industries are desperate for technical writers, proposal managers, and corporate communicators who can translate complex engineering concepts into readable text. Pair that massive industrial demand with rock-bottom in-state tuition, and you get a degree that pays for itself almost immediately.

You can also see the power of geography and price in the middle of the board with the City University of New York (CUNY) schools like Lehman, John Jay, and Queens. These programs leverage the ultimate geographic advantage—New York City, the media and publishing capital of the world—giving students direct access to top-tier internships while charging a fraction of what NYU or Columbia demand.

What is English?

English is the rigorous study of literature, writing, and critical analysis. Graduates do far more than read classic novels; they are trained to synthesize complex information, parse arguments, and craft compelling narratives. Day-to-day, they work as technical writers, copywriters, editors, public relations specialists, and corporate communicators—or they leverage their analytical skills in law, tech, and consulting, where sharp, persuasive communication is highly valued.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to become a teacher if I major in English?

Not at all. While education is a common and stable route, the corporate world is a massive employer of English graduates. Tech companies need UX writers and technical communicators; marketing firms need copywriters; and businesses of all sizes need professionals who can synthesize data into clear, actionable reports.

Should I double major to make my English degree more marketable?

It is highly recommended. Pairing English with a quantitative or hard skill—like computer science, economics, business, or graphic design—creates a killer resume. You become the rare candidate who understands the technical details of a product and actually knows how to explain them to clients and stakeholders.

How much does geography matter for this major?

Immensely, as this ranking proves. If you want to work in traditional publishing, media, or national politics, being near New York or Washington D.C. is a massive advantage for networking and internships. If you want to break into technical writing or corporate communications, look at schools situated near major tech, aerospace, or energy hubs where local employers recruit directly from the classroom.

Is an English degree a good pre-law track?

Yes, it is one of the most traditional and successful paths to law school. Legal work is fundamentally about reading dense texts, parsing language for loopholes, and writing highly persuasive arguments. An English program trains you to do exactly that, making it excellent preparation for both the LSAT and law school itself.