English Language and Literature, General: is this doctoral degree worth it?
National picture across 13 reporting college programs.
$66,586 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $29,719
- Federal debt
- $8,711
- Reporting programs
- 12
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,868
- Federal debt
- $8,923
- Reporting programs
- 15
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,926
- Federal debt
- $24,636
- Reporting programs
- 614
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,269
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 43
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,586
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 13
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Emory University$75,5512CUNY Graduate School and University Center$75,3063Indiana University of Pennsylvania$72,4544University of Florida$69,6675University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$68,2986University of California, Riverside$67,3567Purdue University-Main Campus$66,5868Indiana University-Bloomington$66,4889Ohio State University-Main Campus$66,46010University of Louisiana at Lafayette$61,123Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory UniversityDoctoral Degree | Atlanta, GA | $75,551 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,585 |
| 2 | CUNY Graduate School and University CenterDoctoral Degree | New York, NY | $75,306 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 3 | Indiana University of PennsylvaniaDoctoral Degree | Indiana, PA | $72,454 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,804 |
| 4 | University of FloridaDoctoral Degree | Gainesville, FL | $69,667 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,541 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeDoctoral Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $68,298 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,014 |
| 6 | University of California, RiversideDoctoral Degree | Riverside, CA | $67,356 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,304 |
| 7 | Purdue University-Main CampusDoctoral Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $66,586 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,600 |
| 8 | Indiana University-BloomingtonDoctoral Degree | Bloomington, IN | $66,488 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,264 |
| 9 | Ohio State University-Main CampusDoctoral Degree | Columbus, OH | $66,460 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,339 |
| 10 | University of Louisiana at LafayetteDoctoral Degree | Lafayette, LA | $61,123 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,530 |
| 11 | Florida State UniversityDoctoral Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $60,363 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,297 |
| 12 | University of IowaDoctoral Degree | Iowa City, IA | $59,774 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,531 |
| 13 | Georgia State UniversityDoctoral Degree | Atlanta, GA | $58,877 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,931 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.