University of Iowa English: earnings, debt & careers

English graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $51,679 four years after graduating ($34,116 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $22,000. That is $2,731 above the U.S. median for English graduates ($48,948 across 571 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 6 Iowa colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$51,679

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

College Scorecard field of study; 79 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$34,116

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$22,000

About 43% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,552.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$22,531 /yr

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

Sticker price $28,596. College Scorecard.

University of Iowa English: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Iowa graduates$51,679
Iowa median (6 colleges)$47,984 (+$3,695)
U.S. median (571 colleges)$48,948 (+$2,731)

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 University of Iowa'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$15,316$64,9404.3 years
$30–48k$15,489$65,6734.4 years
$48–75k$19,930$84,5035.6 years
$75–110k$23,811$100,9596.7 years
$110k+$26,266$111,3687.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($51,679) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,018 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 Iowa colleges

Every Iowa college we cover that reports English graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Drake University$57,563—$29,12774%
2University of Iowa$51,679$22,000$22,53175%
3Iowa State University$49,626$24,000$18,58975%
4University of Northern Iowa$46,343$24,274$15,90168%
5Luther College$46,116$27,000$23,09771%
6Grinnell College$36,854$18,059$17,64888%

19 more Iowa colleges offer English but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for English graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Iowa City area$62,100
Iowa$61,200
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

Iowa$44,680
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 University of Iowa, by income

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

College Scorecard

About University of Iowa

Related majors at University of Iowa

University of Iowa English questions

How much do University of Iowa English graduates earn?

English graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $51,679 four years after graduating and $34,116 one year after. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.

How much debt do University of Iowa English graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for English graduates of University of Iowa is $22,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.

Is University of Iowa a good school for English in Iowa?

On pay, English graduates of University of Iowa earn $51,679 four years out, $3,695 above the median for the same major across 6 Iowa colleges ($47,984) and $2,731 above the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does University of Iowa rank for English in Iowa?

Of 6 Iowa colleges reporting English graduate earnings, University of Iowa ranks 2nd. The highest is Drake University at $57,563.

What jobs do English graduates get?

A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $62,100 in the Iowa City, IA 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
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Cite this: “University of Iowa English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-iowa/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).