U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 26 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 43% 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 $27,636. College Scorecard.
SOU 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 SOU'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 | $11,830 | $51,342 | 3.9 years |
| $30–48k | $12,466 | $54,102 | 4.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,813 | $68,628 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $22,415 | $97,281 | 7.4 years |
| $110k+ | $24,181 | $104,946 | 8.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($49,706) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,157 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 Oregon colleges
Every Oregon 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 | Willamette University | $50,060 | $20,250 | $25,121 | 71% |
| 2 | Southern Oregon University | $49,706 | $21,500 | $16,732 | 43% |
| 3 | University of Portland | $49,434 | $20,057 | $28,210 | 80% |
| 4 | University of Oregon | $47,639 | $23,375 | $22,182 | 72% |
| 5 | Portland State University | $43,342 | $24,546 | $9,552 | 53% |
| 6 | Oregon State University | $42,541 | $23,667 | $19,604 | 70% |
| 7 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $42,541 | $23,667 | $18,048 | 56% |
| 8 | Lewis & Clark College | $39,705 | $25,750 | $36,013 | 75% |
| 9 | Corban University | $36,779 | $27,000 | $28,035 | 61% |
7 more Oregon 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 SOU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SOU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 43% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,175
- Full cost breakdown · all 48 majors · overview
Related majors at SOU
- History$43,195
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Writing—
SOU English questions
How much do SOU English graduates earn?
English graduates of Southern Oregon University earn a median $49,706 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do SOU English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of Southern Oregon University is $21,500, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is SOU a good school for English in Oregon?
On pay, English graduates of Southern Oregon University earn $49,706 four years out, $6,364 above the median for the same major across 9 Oregon colleges ($43,342) and $758 above the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SOU rank for English in Oregon?
Of 9 Oregon colleges reporting English graduate earnings, Southern Oregon University ranks 2nd. The highest is Willamette University at $50,060.
What jobs do English graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $77,180 in the Medford, OR 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: “Southern Oregon University English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-oregon-university/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).