English Degree in Los Angeles, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
English degree analysis for Los Angeles, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$59K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
12.9 yrs
in Los Angeles
Cost of Living
141
index (100 = avg)
English in Los Angeles, CA Overview
Los Angeles is one of California's top college towns, with 69 institutions and a student population of 322,771. Public tuition averages $13,804/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Los Angeles is approximately $59,220.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
69
Public Tuition
$13,804/yr
Private Tuition
$59,151/yr
Room & Board
$17,998/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,255/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
47%
English Salary in Los Angeles (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Los Angeles's cost of living index of 141 (national average = 100).
Note: National average English salary: $42,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Los Angeles adjustment factor: 1.41x based on the local cost of living index.
English ROI Calculator for Los Angeles
Estimate your return on investment for a English degree using local Los Angeles tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,804 | Private avg: $59,151
Los Angeles avg aid: $8,255/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$127,208
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$9,870
vs HS diploma in Los Angeles
ROI Payback Period
12.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Los Angeles
$182,992
Lifetime earnings premium ($310,200) minus total education cost ($127,208)
Student Loan Payoff for English in Los Angeles
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Los Angeles for English
UCLA
public
$13,804/yr
$55,216 total
USC
private
$63,468/yr
$253,872 total
Loyola Marymount University
private
$54,834/yr
$219,336 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Los Angeles City College
$1,540/yr
Santa Monica College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for English in Los Angeles
Los Angeles offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for English graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Los Angeles Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common English Job Titles
English in Nearby California Cities
San Diego, CA
$59K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$54K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$48K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$50K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$47K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$49K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$55K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Bakersfield, CA
$56K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Los Angeles
Chinese Studies
$78K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$71K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$62K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$71K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
History
$62K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$71K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$59K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$71K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
English Degree in Los Angeles — 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 Los Angeles.