U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 60 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% 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 $19,725. College Scorecard.
NKU 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 NKU'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 | $2,603 | $11,375 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $3,630 | $15,863 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $6,761 | $29,546 | 2.7 years |
| $75–110k | $12,679 | $55,407 | 5.1 years |
| $110k+ | $14,522 | $63,461 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($44,385) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,869 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 Kentucky colleges
Every Kentucky 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 | Bellarmine University | $45,612 | $27,000 | $21,499 | 64% |
| 2 | University of Louisville | $45,572 | $20,531 | $17,988 | 61% |
| 3 | Northern Kentucky University | $44,385 | $24,585 | $8,191 | 52% |
| 4 | University of Kentucky | $44,384 | $21,250 | $18,851 | 71% |
| 5 | Murray State University | $41,383 | $26,000 | $9,096 | 61% |
| 6 | Berea College | $40,722 | — | $6,106 | 58% |
| 7 | Western Kentucky University | $40,616 | $23,232 | $10,990 | 56% |
| 8 | Morehead State University | $35,895 | — | $9,793 | 52% |
| 9 | Eastern Kentucky University | $35,203 | $23,648 | $11,040 | 50% |
15 more Kentucky 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 NKU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NKU
- Acceptance rate: 68% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 52% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $50,220
- Full cost breakdown · all 63 majors · overview
Related majors at NKU
- History$48,109
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$44,561
- Journalism$44,834
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$50,322
- Philosophy—
NKU English questions
How much do NKU English graduates earn?
English graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median $44,385 four years after graduating and $31,926 one year after. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do NKU English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of Northern Kentucky University is $24,585, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is NKU a good school for English in Kentucky?
On pay, English graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn $44,385 four years out, $3,002 above the median for the same major across 9 Kentucky colleges ($41,383) and $4,563 below the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does NKU rank for English in Kentucky?
Of 9 Kentucky colleges reporting English graduate earnings, Northern Kentucky University ranks 3rd. The highest is Bellarmine University at $45,612.
What jobs do English graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $66,190 in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 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: “Northern Kentucky University English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).