ROI Major

English Language and Literature, General at University of Texas of the Permian Basin

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 23.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a English Language and Literature, General degree from University of Texas of the Permian Basin earn a median salary of $55,964 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,764. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.4 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

$46,750

Typical Career

$55,964

Top Performers

$65,392

Estimated break-even: 9.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$373

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,664. Most students can comfortably afford about a $373 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 35.4%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.4%
Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction 7.7%

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

$60,764

Nominal: $55,964 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

9.4 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 $37,151 $48,247 $55,325
5 Years After Graduation $46,750 $55,964 $65,392
10 Years After Graduation $52,297 $61,299 $74,036

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 $55,964 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $55,964 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $60,764 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 the University of Texas of the Permian Basin can expect a steady earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation are $48,247, which increases to $55,964 five years post-graduation and reaches $61,299 ten years later. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $60,764.39, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive earning potential relative to their peers across the country, despite the cost of living in Texas being slightly lower than the national average.

The primary industries that employ these graduates include Educational Services (35.4%), Health Care & Social Assistance (13.4%), and Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction (7.7%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 9.4 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, while the path may require a significant initial commitment, the long-term financial benefits and diverse employment opportunities present a compelling case for students considering this field of study.

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 University of Texas of the Permian Basin 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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