Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $25,407/yr fall 16% below the $30,427 national median for English. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI English programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in English's typical career paths, with 61% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 7% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $20,697 represents roughly 10 months of the $25,407 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #369 of 493 English programs, Radford University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $43,198 show a 70% jump from the $25,407 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.