Bachelor's · Amherst, Massachusetts

Is English Language and Literature, General at University of Massachusetts-Amherst 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 14.2 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $37,879; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $52,068; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $19,500; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $97k (likely $97k – $100k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $8k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in MA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 14.2 years (likely 9.1–20+); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$231k (likely −$301k – −$152k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: −$97k (likely −$253k – $81k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 81%; 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 / ≤ 10%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare English Language and Literature, General at other schools

🎬 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

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$165,473
Computer Science (Master's)$154,099
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral)$126,453
Computer Science (Bachelor's)$123,519
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$113,083
Education, General (Doctoral)$110,816
Accounting and Related Services (Master's)$109,628
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$106,958
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)$101,091
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology (Master's)$100,729
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's)$100,516
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's)$98,155

English Language and Literature, General at other schools in Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross$74,214
Boston College$70,141
Tufts University$69,475
Williams College$69,065
Northeastern University$67,877
Northeastern University Professional Programs$67,877
Amherst College$65,195
Brandeis University$62,291
Assumption University$62,073
Stonehill College$60,131