U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 50 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 $19,992. College Scorecard.
Western Carolina University 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 Western Carolina University'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 | $8,816 | $38,261 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 3.8 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 4.7 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 6.4 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 6.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% 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 ($45,079) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,563 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 Western Carolina University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Carolina University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,458
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Carolina University
- History$42,698
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$40,744
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Philosophy—
Western Carolina University English questions
How much do Western Carolina University English graduates earn?
English graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $45,079 four years after graduating and $29,927 one year after. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do Western Carolina University English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of Western Carolina University is $25,000, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is Western Carolina University a good school for English in North Carolina?
On pay, English graduates of Western Carolina University earn $45,079 four years out, $929 below the median for the same major across 13 North Carolina colleges ($46,008) and $3,869 below the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Carolina University rank for English in North Carolina?
Of 13 North Carolina colleges reporting English graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 9th. 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 $57,650 in North Carolina 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: “Western Carolina University English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).