U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 59 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 54% 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 $26,547. College Scorecard.
UNCW 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 UNCW'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 | $10,778 | $45,699 | 3.7 years |
| $30–48k | $12,572 | $53,305 | 4.3 years |
| $48–75k | $17,378 | $73,683 | 5.9 years |
| $75–110k | $24,046 | $101,955 | 8.2 years |
| $110k+ | $25,573 | $108,430 | 8.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($46,008) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,492 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | Wake Forest University | $77,847 | $19,500 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 2 | Elon University | $68,927 | — | $41,555 | 84% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $51,208 | $14,794 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $49,088 | $23,071 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 5 | Guilford College | $49,064 | — | $22,270 | 46% |
| 6 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $48,338 | $21,680 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $46,008 | $24,636 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 8 | Appalachian State University | $45,954 | $21,430 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 9 | Western Carolina University | $45,079 | $25,000 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 10 | East Carolina University | $43,585 | $25,400 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 11 | North Carolina A & T State University | $40,317 | $31,000 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 12 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $38,366 | $19,500 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 13 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $33,714 | $23,752 | $12,250 | 54% |
35 more North Carolina 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 UNCW, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UNCW
- Acceptance rate: 64% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 71% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,967
- Full cost breakdown · all 48 majors · overview
Related majors at UNCW
- History$46,072
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$45,289
- Writing$37,968
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
UNCW English questions
How much do UNCW English graduates earn?
English graduates of University of North Carolina Wilmington earn a median $46,008 four years after graduating and $24,384 one year after. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do UNCW English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of University of North Carolina Wilmington is $24,636, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is UNCW a good school for English in North Carolina?
On pay, English graduates of University of North Carolina Wilmington earn $46,008 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 13 North Carolina colleges ($46,008) and $2,940 below the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UNCW rank for English in North Carolina?
Of 13 North Carolina colleges reporting English graduate earnings, University of North Carolina Wilmington ranks 7th. The highest is Wake Forest University at $77,847.
What jobs do English graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $57,980 in the Wilmington, NC 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: “University of North Carolina Wilmington English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).