English at CUNY City College
New York, NY · Public · Bachelor's Degree · English Language and Literature, General
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
40
Optimistic
40
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings
$27,082/yr (-11% vs median)
AI Risk
Very High (61% exposed)
Job Market
Large (73,200 openings/yr)
ROI
19.8x earnings multiple (9.5x out-of-state)
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 | $594K | $581K | $522K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 20.2x | 19.8x | 17.8x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 9.7x | 9.5x | 8.5x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 48% | 41% | 29% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 40 | 40 | 36 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$29,360
Out-of-state: $61,160 (9.5x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,878
5.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,288
108% growth from Year 1
About CUNY City College
A 58% admission rate makes CUNY City College accessible to a wide range of qualified students, enrolling 11,934 students in New York, NY. With 60% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum. After financial aid, the average student pays $13,944 over four years — 53% below sticker price.
See all programs and financial aid at CUNY City 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 CUNY City 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
How does CUNY City College's English program score?
This program scores 40/100 — on the lower end for English. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is English to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' English careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 61% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
How affordable is English at CUNY City College after financial aid?
Sticker price is $29,360, but the average net cost is $13,944 — a 53% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →