English Degree in Austin, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
English degree analysis for Austin, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$66K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
12.8 yrs
in Austin
Cost of Living
107
index (100 = avg)
English in Austin, TX Overview
Austin is one of Texas's top college towns, with 30 institutions and a student population of 206,177. Public tuition averages $11,448/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Although national enrollment in English has been declining, graduates with skills in Writing and Critical Analysis remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Austin is approximately $44,940.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
30
Public Tuition
$11,448/yr
Private Tuition
$31,126/yr
Room & Board
$12,563/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,991/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
58%
English Salary in Austin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Austin's cost of living index of 107 (national average = 100).
Note: National average English salary: $42,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Austin adjustment factor: 1.07x based on the local cost of living index.
English ROI Calculator for Austin
Estimate your return on investment for a English degree using local Austin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,448 | Private avg: $31,126
Austin avg aid: $11,991/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$96,044
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$7,490
vs HS diploma in Austin
ROI Payback Period
12.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Austin
$139,356
Lifetime earnings premium ($235,400) minus total education cost ($96,044)
Student Loan Payoff for English in Austin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Austin for English
University of Texas at Austin
public
$11,448/yr
$45,792 total
St. Edward's University
private
$46,872/yr
$187,488 total
Huston-Tillotson University
private
$15,380/yr
$61,520 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Austin Community College
$2,640/yr
Top Employers for English in Austin
Austin offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for English graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Austin Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common English Job Titles
English in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$48K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$50K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$44K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$42K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$39K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$39K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$34K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Plano, TX
$36K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Austin
Chinese Studies
$59K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
History
$47K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$45K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$54K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
English Degree in Austin — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare English ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Austin.