U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 48 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,552.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $27,042. College Scorecard.
ETSU English: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ETSU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,433 | $54,457 | 6.4 years |
| $30–48k | $14,289 | $62,586 | 7.4 years |
| $48–75k | $16,400 | $71,832 | 8.5 years |
| $75–110k | $20,588 | $90,175 | 10.6 years |
| $110k+ | $21,193 | $92,825 | 10.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (34% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of English graduates 4 years after graduating ($43,001) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,483 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
English at Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee college we cover that reports English graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | $60,439 | $13,420 | $15,846 | 94% |
| 2 | The University of the South | $58,164 | $21,175 | $27,872 | 80% |
| 3 | Rhodes College | $49,042 | $21,545 | $28,585 | 85% |
| 4 | Middle Tennessee State University | $47,105 | $24,045 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $46,366 | $22,990 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 6 | Belmont University | $46,342 | $24,250 | $33,147 | 71% |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $45,253 | $22,796 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 8 | East Tennessee State University | $43,001 | $16,598 | $15,983 | 53% |
| 9 | Austin Peay State University | $42,543 | $25,677 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 10 | University of Memphis | $41,383 | $23,708 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 11 | Tennessee Technological University | $40,380 | $19,039 | $14,246 | 58% |
25 more Tennessee colleges offer English but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for English graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.9% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ETSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ETSU
- Acceptance rate: 86% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 53% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $44,859
- Full cost breakdown · all 51 majors · overview
Related majors at ETSU
- History$44,142
- Writing$48,263
- Linguistics—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$44,738
- Philosophy—
ETSU English questions
How much do ETSU English graduates earn?
English graduates of East Tennessee State University earn a median $43,001 four years after graduating and $21,836 one year after. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do ETSU English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of East Tennessee State University is $16,598, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is ETSU a good school for English in Tennessee?
On pay, English graduates of East Tennessee State University earn $43,001 four years out, $3,341 below the median for the same major across 11 Tennessee colleges ($46,342) and $5,947 below the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ETSU rank for English in Tennessee?
Of 11 Tennessee colleges reporting English graduate earnings, East Tennessee State University ranks 8th. The highest is Vanderbilt University at $60,439.
What jobs do English graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $60,180 in the Johnson City, TN area and $72,040 nationally. Others include proofreaders and copy markers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “East Tennessee State University English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/east-tennessee-state-university/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).