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Literature at Bennington College

Bennington, VT · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $18,152/yr (-22% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (69% exposed)

Job Market Medium (28,300 openings/yr)

ROI 1.4x earnings multiple

Ranked #4 of 8 Literature programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Literature graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$352K	$374K	$384K
Earnings Multiple	1.4x	1.4x	1.5x
Probability of Field Employment	49%	42%	27%
DegreeOutlook Score	20	19	17

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$258,576

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$127,672

51% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$27,000

17.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

Bennington College's Literature graduates start at $18,152/yr, trailing the $23,375 national average by 22%. The program's value hinges on affordability.

The financial case is thin at 1.4x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

Some AI exposure exists in Literature's typical career paths, with 69% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a -9% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $27,000 against $18,152/yr in first-year earnings means roughly 1.5 years of salary goes to loan repayment. That's a heavy but not crushing debt load.

This program is one of 8 schools offering Literature in our dataset — a specialized field with limited comparison points.

About Bennington College

Bennington College's 48% acceptance rate reflects moderate selectivity, a smaller institution with 759 students in Bennington, VT. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $127,672 — 51% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Bennington College →

Top Career Paths

English language and literature teachers, postsecondary $78,270/yr

Editors $75,260/yr

Writers and authors $72,270/yr

View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Literature at Other Schools

Other Majors at Bennington 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 Literature at Bennington College?

A score of 19/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Literature. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Is Literature at Bennington College worth the student debt?

Median debt of $27,000 against $18,152/yr starting salary means roughly 1.5 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.

Will AI replace Literature careers?

With 69% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $383,721 in decade earnings vs $352,121 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Literature from Bennington 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.

Is Bennington College a hidden gem for Literature?

After financial aid, the average student pays $127,672 over four years — 51% below the $258,576 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →