WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+6% vs national median143 grads tracked

English Language and Literature/Letters at Carleton College

Ranked 68th of 382 bachelor's programs in English Language and Literature/Letters by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$37,075
middle 50%: $25,407 – $52,107
Median · 5 years out
$56,453
middle 50%: $35,528 – $75,158
Median · 10 years out
$83,287
middle 50%: $53,892 – $120,851

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for English Language and Literature/Letters (bachelor's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of Carleton College's bachelor's program in English Language and Literature/Letters earn a median $37,075 one year after graduating, rising to $83,287 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 6% above the national median of $53,081 for this field, ranking 68th of 382 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
7.3 yrs
≈ $8,846 total interest

Same major at other universities

Clemson University
$57,029 · 5 yrs out
West Texas A&M University
$57,025 · 5 yrs out
Texas Southern University
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Stout
$56,563 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
$56,534 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$56,463 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Brooklyn College
$56,400 · 5 yrs out
Texas Woman's University
$56,369 · 5 yrs out
DePaul University
$56,183 · 5 yrs out
University of North Texas
$56,179 · 5 yrs out
Southern Connecticut State University
$56,081 · 5 yrs out
SUNY Old Westbury
$56,069 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Carleton College

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$136,177 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$136,177 · 5 yrs out
Statistics (Bachelor's)
$111,686 · 5 yrs out
Economics (Bachelor's)
$102,242 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Bachelor's)
$97,751 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$93,589 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Bachelor's)
$79,570 · 5 yrs out
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's)
$76,770 · 5 yrs out
Philosophy (Bachelor's)
$74,301 · 5 yrs out
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's)
$71,298 · 5 yrs out
Philosophy and Religious Studies (Bachelor's)
$70,298 · 5 yrs out
Physics (Bachelor's)
$68,521 · 5 yrs out

Related fields of study

English Language and Literature, General
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English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
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Literature
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Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
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