Bachelor's · Middletown, Pennsylvania
Is English Language and Literature, General at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ 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 8.1 years.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $38,171
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $54,027
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $23,361
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $71k (likely $71k – $93k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $15k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in PA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- 8.1 years (likely 6.5–10.7)
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$124k (likely −$190k – −$74k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- $71k (likely −$41k – $201k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 27%
- 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$166,387
- Information Science/Studies (Master's)$158,815
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's)$139,676
- Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$120,729
- Mechanical Engineering (Master's)$114,915
- Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$112,269
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$111,392
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$111,065
- Homeland Security (Master's)$106,535
- Human Resources Management and Services (Master's)$103,541
- Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Undergraduate certificate)$102,874
- Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)$98,637
English Language and Literature, General at other schools in Pennsylvania
- Lehigh University$71,474
- University of Scranton$69,349
- Villanova University$67,157
- University of Pennsylvania$61,989
- Gettysburg College$60,876
- Dickinson College$57,603
- Ursinus College$56,454
- Duquesne University$54,025
- Lafayette College$53,050
- Temple University$53,018