Best English Language and Literature, General Degrees in the US by ROI

Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs Analyzed

579

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$304,261

Across all programs

Average Annual Cost

$39,716

Cost of attendance

#	College	State	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Virginia Military Institute Grad rate: 79.2%	VA	+$222,188	$59,857	$33,738	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Wagner College Grad rate: 64.9%	NY	+$34,192	$56,311	$63,007	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Bates College Grad rate: 91.6%	ME	+$18,000	$58,988	$80,440	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Northeastern University Professional Programs	MA	+$8,230	$44,234	N/A	$27,000	Full ROI →
5	Northeastern University Oakland	CA	+$8,230	$44,234	N/A	$27,000	Full ROI →
6	College of the Holy Cross Grad rate: 90.3%	MA	-$210	$59,114	$76,510	$27,000	Full ROI →
7	Washington and Lee University Grad rate: 94.9%	VA	-$17,760	$57,710	$82,990	N/A	Full ROI →
8	SUNY Old Westbury Grad rate: 47.4%	NY	-$18,107	$46,223	$19,934	$16,912	Full ROI →
9	Elon University Grad rate: 83.1%	NC	-$18,396	$52,954	$59,369	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Morehouse College Grad rate: 55.8%	GA	-$19,028	$52,273	$47,347	$26,000	Full ROI →
11	University of the Pacific Grad rate: 70.5%	CA	-$35,652	$53,852	$68,173	N/A	Full ROI →
12	University of Central Missouri Grad rate: 51.0%	MO	-$41,842	$45,480	$22,086	$17,110	Full ROI →
13	University of Houston-Clear Lake Grad rate: 52.3%	TX	-$58,863	$44,886	$23,788	$15,875	Full ROI →
14	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College Grad rate: 72.8%	NY	-$61,634	$42,635	$13,521	$15,000	Full ROI →
15	San Diego State University Grad rate: 78.1%	CA	-$65,773	$45,195	$27,357	$14,997	Full ROI →
16	The Catholic University of America Grad rate: 79.0%	DC	-$81,692	$52,555	$73,198	N/A	Full ROI →
17	New Jersey City University Grad rate: 38.7%	NJ	-$83,655	$44,372	$23,668	$26,980	Full ROI →
18	Saint Anselm College Grad rate: 84.2%	NH	-$90,828	$52,227	$65,067	$26,000	Full ROI →
19	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Grad rate: 85.3%	CA	-$91,252	$45,038	$29,918	$23,956	Full ROI →
20	Mount St. Mary's University Grad rate: 61.0%	MD	-$93,652	$49,733	$62,078	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Bucknell University Grad rate: 86.4%	PA	-$96,014	$55,013	$79,956	$27,000	Full ROI →
22	CUNY Queens College Grad rate: 58.4%	NY	-$98,177	$40,461	$13,643	$9,500	Full ROI →
23	Marquette University Grad rate: 81.3%	WI	-$99,152	$49,689	$63,233	N/A	Full ROI →
24	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Grad rate: 70.5%	MD	-$102,965	$43,755	$27,935	$19,500	Full ROI →
25	Texas A & M International University Grad rate: 49.2%	TX	-$103,119	$40,859	$14,767	$15,727	Full ROI →
26	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	VA	-$110,678	$45,105	$38,132	$15,000	Full ROI →
27	University of San Francisco Grad rate: 72.8%	CA	-$114,984	$53,290	$76,421	$26,000	Full ROI →
28	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grad rate: 84.8%	IL	-$116,593	$44,012	$32,134	$20,961	Full ROI →
29	Santa Clara University Grad rate: 88.5%	CA	-$116,692	$51,719	$77,768	N/A	Full ROI →
30	St. Mary's University Grad rate: 57.4%	TX	-$119,912	$47,033	$46,368	$26,000	Full ROI →
31	Georgian Court University Grad rate: 54.5%	NJ	-$120,852	$47,552	$49,198	$26,000	Full ROI →
32	Mount Saint Mary College Grad rate: 63.5%	NY	-$123,120	$46,206	$51,810	N/A	Full ROI →
33	St. Mary's College of Maryland Grad rate: 69.3%	MD	-$124,031	$43,517	$31,319	$21,552	Full ROI →
34	Fairfield University Grad rate: 84.0%	CT	-$124,394	$52,277	$73,371	$27,000	Full ROI →
35	University of Portland Grad rate: 79.7%	OR	-$128,688	$50,756	$69,183	$20,057	Full ROI →
36	University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Grad rate: 51.8%	MA	-$129,703	$43,774	$31,677	$28,500	Full ROI →
37	Caldwell University Grad rate: 63.5%	NJ	-$129,704	$46,232	$53,586	N/A	Full ROI →
38	University of Maryland-College Park Grad rate: 88.9%	MD	-$129,957	$42,568	$28,073	$21,500	Full ROI →
39	San Jose State University Grad rate: 66.2%	CA	-$131,820	$40,548	$25,695	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Grad rate: 81.0%	PA	-$133,022	$50,274	$65,513	$27,000	Full ROI →
41	University of Houston-Victoria Grad rate: 24.8%	TX	-$134,129	$41,716	$21,179	$32,395	Full ROI →
42	Monmouth University Grad rate: 69.2%	NJ	-$135,502	$49,070	$60,113	$27,000	Full ROI →
43	Georgetown University Grad rate: 95.0%	DC	-$141,739	$52,966	$84,696	$16,500	Full ROI →
44	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Grad rate: 55.7%	FL	-$141,828	$39,718	$24,047	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Seton Hall University Grad rate: 71.6%	NJ	-$144,461	$49,473	$64,996	$25,139	Full ROI →
46	Tufts University Grad rate: 93.5%	MA	-$144,784	$52,671	$84,600	$14,670	Full ROI →
47	Sonoma State University Grad rate: 60.1%	CA	-$146,178	$40,870	$24,739	$18,239	Full ROI →
48	Lesley University Grad rate: 61.6%	MA	-$150,076	$46,012	$49,226	$24,750	Full ROI →
49	Texas Christian University Grad rate: 84.7%	TX	-$150,392	$49,036	$72,778	N/A	Full ROI →
50	University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online Grad rate: 14.6%	NH	-$150,584	$40,120	$19,236	$26,697	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.

Find Best English Language and Literature, General Degrees by State

Browse English Language and Literature, General programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.