ROI Major

English Language and Literature, General at Saint John's University

MN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 23.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a English Language and Literature, General degree from Saint John's University earn a median salary of $58,956 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $62,653. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.3 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$44,153

Typical Career

$58,956

Top Performers

$77,901

Estimated break-even: 8.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$393

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,913. Most students can comfortably afford about a $393 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services, Finance & Insurance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 16.7%
Educational Services 11.5%
Finance & Insurance 11.2%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$62,653

Nominal: $58,956 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

8.3 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $29,179 $39,884 $53,444
5 Years After Graduation $44,153 $58,956 $77,901
10 Years After Graduation $60,738 $82,803 $109,654

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $58,956 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $58,956 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $62,653 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in English Language and Literature from Saint John's University can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $39,884, which increases to $58,956 after five years and reaches $82,803 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $62,652.5, reflecting the degree's value in the job market, especially considering Minnesota's cost of living index of 0.941 compared to the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.7%), Educational Services (11.5%), and Finance & Insurance (11.2%), indicating diverse career opportunities. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 8.3 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this degree appears favorable. This suggests that pursuing a degree in English Language and Literature can lead to significant long-term financial benefits and career advancement.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the English Language and Literature, General degree at Saint John's University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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