Southeast Missouri State University English: earnings, debt & careers

English graduates of Southeast Missouri State University earn a median $36,356 four years after graduating, with median federal loan debt of $31,000. That is $12,592 below the U.S. median for English graduates ($48,948 across 571 colleges), and ranks 8th of 10 Missouri colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$36,356

U.S. median for this major: $48,948.

College Scorecard field of study; 20 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
—

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$31,000

About 85% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,552.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$15,882 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $25,177. College Scorecard.

Southeast Missouri State University English: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Southeast Missouri State University graduates$36,356
Missouri median (10 colleges)$38,806 (−$2,450)
U.S. median (571 colleges)$48,948 (−$12,592)

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.

English nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Southeast Missouri State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$12,704$55,262more than 20 years
$30–48k$13,342$58,038more than 20 years
$48–75k$15,338$66,720more than 20 years
$75–110k$17,395$75,668more than 20 years
$110k+$21,267$92,511more than 20 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (39% 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 ($36,356) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $918 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 Missouri colleges

Every Missouri college we cover that reports English graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Missouri-Kansas City$56,584$24,125$13,31055%
2Saint Louis University$50,769$26,546$24,39880%
3University of Missouri-Columbia$47,487$23,182$20,26875%
4University of Missouri-St Louis$43,582$19,625$15,07157%
5Truman State University$38,923$22,844$12,78069%
6Missouri State University-Springfield$38,690$25,000$17,61358%
7Columbia College$36,714$30,251$22,71542%
8Southeast Missouri State University$36,356$31,000$15,88258%
9Drury University$35,543$26,215$20,83162%
10Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studiesbachelor's & associate$35,543$26,215$10,56643%

26 more Missouri colleges offer English but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for English graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Cape Girardeau area$48,570
Missouri$59,240
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Missouri$52,920
U.S.$51,120

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 Southeast Missouri State University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Southeast Missouri State University

Related majors at Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast Missouri State University English questions

How much do Southeast Missouri State University English graduates earn?

English graduates of Southeast Missouri State University earn a median $36,356 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.

How much debt do Southeast Missouri State University English graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for English graduates of Southeast Missouri State University is $31,000, about 85% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.

Is Southeast Missouri State University a good school for English in Missouri?

On pay, English graduates of Southeast Missouri State University earn $36,356 four years out, $2,450 below the median for the same major across 10 Missouri colleges ($38,806) and $12,592 below the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Southeast Missouri State University rank for English in Missouri?

Of 10 Missouri colleges reporting English graduate earnings, Southeast Missouri State University ranks 8th. The highest is University of Missouri-Kansas City at $56,584.

What jobs do English graduates get?

A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $48,570 in the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL area and $72,040 nationally. Others include proofreaders and copy markers.

Is Southeast Missouri State University the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing Southeast Missouri State University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

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: “Southeast Missouri State University English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southeast-missouri-state-university/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).