WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+4% vs national median136 grads tracked

English Language and Literature, General at Macalester College

Ranked 88th of 370 bachelor's programs in English Language and Literature, General by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$36,491
middle 50%: $27,078 – $51,537
Median · 5 years out
$54,382
middle 50%: $41,179 – $67,983
Median · 10 years out
$75,444
middle 50%: $50,949 – $104,398

Salary trajectory

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

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

Graduates of Macalester College's bachelor's program in English Language and Literature, General earn a median $36,491 one year after graduating, rising to $75,444 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 4% above the national median of $52,222 for this field, ranking 88th of 370 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
7.7 yrs
≈ $9,152 total interest

Same major at other universities

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
$54,915 · 5 yrs out
Wofford College
$54,808 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$54,709 · 5 yrs out
Fitchburg State University
$54,496 · 5 yrs out
Texas State University
$54,457 · 5 yrs out
Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
$54,404 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$54,356 · 5 yrs out
Illinois State University
$54,210 · 5 yrs out
Saint Olaf College
$54,151 · 5 yrs out
College of Saint Benedict
$53,776 · 5 yrs out
Shenandoah University
$53,767 · 5 yrs out
University of Houston - Victoria
$53,647 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Macalester College

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$121,630 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$121,630 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Bachelor's)
$99,879 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$99,879 · 5 yrs out
Economics (Bachelor's)
$94,989 · 5 yrs out
Physics (Bachelor's)
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's)
$68,022 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Bachelor's)
$64,005 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Bachelor's)
$61,737 · 5 yrs out
Education (Bachelor's)
$61,545 · 5 yrs out
Education, General (Bachelor's)
$61,545 · 5 yrs out
International/Globalization Studies (Bachelor's)
$58,734 · 5 yrs out

Related fields of study

English Language and Literature/Letters
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Literature
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Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
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