Bachelor's · Lawrence, Kansas

Is English Language and Literature, General at University of Kansas worth it?

Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back slowly: graduates typically recover the cost in about 10.3 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $35,030; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,908; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $23,375; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $85k (likely $85k – $104k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $12k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in KS; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 10.3 years (likely 7.1–16.7); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$155k (likely −$231k – −$81k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $11k (likely −$130k – $186k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 70%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 20%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

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🎬 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward media & storytelling majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Seminar

IB Higher Level

Language A: Literature HL or Language and Literature HL
Film HL

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