---
title: Is a Literature degree worth the debt?
cip: 2314
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Literature degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Bachelor's**, across **8** colleges (8 of 8 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $23,864 ($32,563 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $27,000 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 1.12× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $21,333–$24,135 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor's | $23,864 | $27,000 | 1.12× | 8 | 8/8 |

## Where a Bachelor's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| American University (DC) | $38,528 | $26,105 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg (PA) | $24,135 | $27,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (PA) | $24,135 | $27,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus (PA) | $24,135 | $27,000 |
| The New School (NY) | $23,592 | $22,497 |
| Grand Canyon University (AZ) | $21,664 | — |
| SUNY at Purchase College (NY) | $20,339 | $24,400 |
| Bennington College (VT) | $20,202 | $27,000 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/literature.jsonld` · `/education/fields/literature.json`