U.S. median for this major: $48,948.
College Scorecard field of study; 18 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 65% 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 $29,237. College Scorecard.
WMU 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 WMU'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 | $5,263 | $24,262 | 2.4 years |
| $30–48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | 2.6 years |
| $48–75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 6.2 years |
| $75–110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 8.3 years |
| $110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 10.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (29% 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 ($43,628) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,217 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $57,809 | $16,937 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | Saginaw Valley State University | $55,302 | $28,625 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 3 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $49,421 | $31,000 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 4 | Michigan State University | $49,154 | $25,443 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 5 | Kalamazoo College | $49,150 | $25,456 | $19,072 | 76% |
| 6 | Alma College | $48,445 | $27,000 | $20,694 | 63% |
| 7 | Oakland University | $48,101 | $25,990 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 8 | Hope College | $47,445 | $25,396 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 9 | Grand Valley State University | $45,237 | $28,570 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 10 | Western Michigan University | $43,628 | $28,350 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 11 | Wayne State University | $42,585 | $27,000 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 12 | Eastern Michigan University | $39,726 | $31,000 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 13 | Central Michigan University | $39,262 | $27,500 | $17,597 | 59% |
18 more Michigan 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 WMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WMU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,562
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at WMU
- History$46,909
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$37,013
- Writing$40,792
- Journalism—
- Philosophy—
WMU English questions
How much do WMU English graduates earn?
English graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median $43,628 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for English graduates across 571 colleges is $48,948.
How much debt do WMU English graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for English graduates of Western Michigan University is $28,350, about 65% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,552.
Is WMU a good school for English in Michigan?
On pay, English graduates of Western Michigan University earn $43,628 four years out, $4,473 below the median for the same major across 13 Michigan colleges ($48,101) and $5,320 below the U.S. median ($48,948). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WMU rank for English in Michigan?
Of 13 Michigan colleges reporting English graduate earnings, Western Michigan University ranks 10th. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $57,809.
What jobs do English graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $72,410 in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 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: “Western Michigan University English: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/english (College Scorecard and BLS data).