English at Columbia College
Columbia, MO · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · English Language and Literature, General
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
20
Optimistic
20
Base Case
17
Pessimistic
Earnings
$24,240/yr (-20% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (61% exposed)
Job Market
Large (73,200 openings/yr)
ROI
4.2x earnings multiple
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to English graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $390K | $404K | $399K |
| Earnings Multiple | 4.0x | 4.2x | 4.1x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 48% | 41% | 29% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 20 | 20 | 17 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$97,304
Median Debt at Graduation
$26,023
12.9 months of Year 1 earnings
About Columbia College
serving 5,359 students in Columbia, MO. 44% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.
See all programs and financial aid at Columbia College →Top Career Paths
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
$78,270/yr
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
$64,580/yr
Proofreaders and copy markers
$49,210/yr
Compare & Explore
English at Other Schools
Other Majors at Columbia College
Consider the Trade Route?
Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for English at Columbia College?
A score of 20/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for English. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Is English at Columbia College worth the student debt?
Median debt of $26,023 against $24,240/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.
Will AI replace English careers?
With 61% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $399,000 in decade earnings vs $390,478 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with English from Columbia College?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →