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# Best English Colleges in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Programs in this field[Literature](/rankings/best-literature-programs/)

This page ranks 687 schools offering English in the United States by median earnings of English graduates four years after completing. [Stanford University](/school/stanford-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $82,036 four years after completing.

Across the 648 schools with a published figure, earnings range from $82,036 to $15,922, with a median of $46,580. For 118 of the listed schools the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 55% of the list, with 375 schools against 312 private nonprofits. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984, while Princeton University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 98%.

On Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, University of California-San Diego ranks 1st.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 687 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Median English Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Stanford University · Stanford, CA | $82,036 | $13,807 | \-$2,536\* | 3.6% |
|  | [Stanford University](/school/stanford-university/majors/) reports [$82,036 in median earnings](/school/stanford-university/outcomes/) for its English graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list, alongside an admission rate of 4%. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (33 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($82,036) |
| 2 | Georgetown University · Washington, DC | $78,370 | $40,815 | $5,064 | 12.9% |
|  | With a [six-year completion rate of 95%](/school/georgetown-university/outcomes/), [Georgetown University](/school/georgetown-university/majors/) ranks 2nd on this page and shows median earnings of $78,370 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (77 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($78,370) |
| 3 | University of Chicago · Chicago, IL | $78,169 | $14,860 | \-$1,264\* | 4.5% |
|  | [University of Chicago](/school/university-of-chicago/majors/) posts an [average net price of $14,860](/school/university-of-chicago/cost/) and median earnings of $78,169 for its English graduates four years after completing, ranking 3rd on this list. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (54 graduates), Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($78,169) |
| 4 | Wake Forest University · Winston-Salem, NC | $77,847 | $28,719 | $6,525 | 21.7% |
|  | [Wake Forest University](/school/wake-forest-university/majors/) [admits 22% of applicants](/school/wake-forest-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $77,847 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (39 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($77,847) |
| 5 | College of the Holy Cross · Worcester, MA | $74,214 | $38,782 | $14,343 | 17.6% |
|  | [College of the Holy Cross](/school/college-of-the-holy-cross/majors/) ranks 5th on this list with [median earnings of $74,214](/school/college-of-the-holy-cross/outcomes/) for its English graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $14,343 for families earning under $30,000. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (57 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($74,214) |
| 6 | Howard University · Washington, DC | $73,929 | $50,539 | $46,051 | 41.3% |
|  | Howard University reports median earnings of $73,929 for its English graduates four years after completing, and a six-year completion rate of 70%. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (14 graduates) |
| 7 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $71,474 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
|  | [Lehigh University](/school/lehigh-university/majors/) ranks 7th on this page with [median earnings of $71,474](/school/lehigh-university/outcomes/) for its English graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $16,917 for families earning under $30,000. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (15 graduates) |
| 8 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $71,205 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
|  | [Carnegie Mellon University](/school/carnegie-mellon-university/majors/) [admits 12% of applicants](/school/carnegie-mellon-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $71,205 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (21 graduates) |
| 9 | George Washington University · Washington, DC | $70,766 | $36,586 | $17,440 | 47.1% |
|  | [George Washington University](/school/george-washington-university/majors/) shows a [six-year completion rate of 84%](/school/george-washington-university/outcomes/) and median earnings of $70,766 for its English graduates four years after completing, ranking 9th on this list. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (30 graduates), Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($70,766) |
| 10 | University of Richmond · University Of Richmond, VA | $70,444 | $31,309 | $12,808 | 22.2% |
|  | University of Richmond reports median earnings of $70,444 for its English graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $12,808 for families earning under $30,000. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (23 graduates), English Language and Literature, General (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($58,014) |
| 11 | Boston College · Chestnut Hill, MA | $70,141 | $41,704 | $4,284 | 16.4% |
|  | [Boston College](/school/boston-college/majors/) ranks 11th on this list with [median earnings of $70,141](/school/boston-college/outcomes/) for its English graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $4,284 for families earning under $30,000. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (91 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($70,141) |
| 12 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $69,475 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
|  | [Tufts University](/school/tufts-university/majors/) [admits 11% of applicants](/school/tufts-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $69,475 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (31 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($69,475) |
| 13 | CUNY York College · Jamaica, NY | $69,380 | $4,456 | $2,861 | 64.1% |
|  | [CUNY York College](/school/cuny-york-college/majors/), a public university in Jamaica, reports [median earnings of $69,380](/school/cuny-york-college/outcomes/) for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($69,380) |
| 14 | University of Scranton · Scranton, PA | $69,349 | $32,568 | $23,896 | 81.2% |
|  | [University of Scranton](/school/university-of-scranton/majors/) [admits 81% of applicants](/school/university-of-scranton/admissions/) and posts a six-year completion rate of 80%. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (9 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($69,349) |
| 15 | Williams College · Williamstown, MA | $69,065 | $17,716 | \-$2,610\* | 8.3% |
|  | [Williams College](/school/williams-college/majors/) [admits 8% of applicants](/school/williams-college/admissions/) and graduates 94% of its students within six years. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (45 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($69,065) |
| 16 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $68,927 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
|  | Elon University shows an average net price of $41,555 alongside median earnings of $68,927 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (28 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($68,927) |
| 17 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $68,752 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% |
|  | [University of San Diego](/school/university-of-san-diego/majors/) [ranks 437th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-san-diego/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a six-year completion rate of 84%. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (25 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($68,752) |
| 18 | Trinity College · Hartford, CT | $68,063 | $34,832 | $11,054 | 29.3% |
|  | [Trinity College](/school/trinity-college/majors/) carries an [average net price of $11,054](/school/trinity-college/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and its English graduates earn a median of $68,063 four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (26 graduates) |
| 19 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $67,877 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
|  | [Northeastern University](/school/northeastern-university/majors/) [admits 5% of applicants](/school/northeastern-university/admissions/) and its English graduates earn a median of $67,877 four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (24 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($67,877) |
| 20 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $67,157 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 27.0% |
|  | [Villanova University](/school/villanova-university/majors/) [graduates 92% of its students within six years](/school/villanova-university/outcomes/) and reports median earnings of $67,157 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($67,157) |
| 21 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $66,806 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 45.1% |
|  | [Loyola Marymount University](/school/loyola-marymount-university/majors/) shows an [average net price of $32,268](/school/loyola-marymount-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and admits 45% of applicants. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (65 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($66,806) |
| 22 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $66,766 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
|  | Seattle University ranks 671st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $66,766 for its English graduates four years after completing. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (15 graduates), English Language and Literature, General (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies ($60,291) |
| 23 | New York University · New York, NY | $66,306 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
|  | [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) posts a [six-year completion rate of 88%](/school/new-york-university/outcomes/) and an average net price of $16,977 for families earning under $30,000. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Literature (85 graduates), English Language and Literature, General (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($66,306) |
| 24 | Seton Hall University · South Orange, NJ | $65,714 | $31,446 | $19,623 | 73.3% |
|  | Seton Hall University reports median earnings of $65,714 for its English graduates four years after completing and admits 73% of applicants. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (21 graduates), Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: English Language and Literature, General ($65,714) |
| 25 | Amherst College · Amherst, MA | $65,195 | $23,367 | $1,086 | 9.0% |
|  | [Amherst College](/school/amherst-college/majors/) reports [median earnings of $65,195](/school/amherst-college/outcomes/) for its English graduates four years after completing, and admits just 9% of applicants. |
|  | Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: English Language and Literature, General (41 graduates) |

\* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.

Continue by region[Best English Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-english-colleges-in-the-midwest/)[Best English Colleges in the Northeast](/rankings/best-english-colleges-in-the-northeast/)[Best English Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-english-colleges-in-the-south/)[English Colleges in the West Ranked by Earnings](/rankings/best-english-colleges-in-the-west/)

## How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their English graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported English earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 118 of the 687 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 648 schools with a published figure. The gap between first-ranked Stanford University and second-ranked Georgetown University is $3,666, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $66,114.

## Related rankings

-   English Colleges for Social Mobility