English Language & Literature

Types of Degrees English Language & Literature Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many English language and literature graduations there were in 2017-2018 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	43,471
Master’s Degree	8,347
Associate’s Degree	3,134
Doctor’s Degree	1,298
Basic Certificate	962
Undergraduate Certificate	464
Graduate Certificate	313

What English Language & Literature Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to English language and literature and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for English Language & Literature Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in English language and literature should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills for English Language & Literature Majors

English language and literature majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for English Language & Literature Majors

English Language and Literature majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

What Can You Do With a English Language & Literature Major?

People with a English language and literature degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Copy Writers	7.6%	$62,170
English Language and Literature Professors	9.8%	$66,590
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers	7.6%	$62,170
Professors	9.4%	$65,660
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	7.5%	$60,320
Technical Writers	10.9%	$71,850

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language & Literature?

The major attracts more women than men. About 71% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of English language and literature majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1,761
Black or African American	3,258
Hispanic or Latino	5,738
White	28,662
International Students	633
Other Races/Ethnicities	3,419

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in English Language & Literature, too. About 1.5% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do English Language & Literature Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of English language and literature students with a bachelor’s degree is $26,900 a year according to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $23,500 (25th percentile) and $30,500 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in English language and literature, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

English Language and Literature majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $69,480 to $76,990 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to English Language & Literature

Some careers associated with English language and literature require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for English language and literature careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	4.9%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	2.4%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.1%
Some College Courses	6.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	6.5%
Bachelor’s Degree	45.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.6%
Master’s Degree	15.4%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.4%
Doctoral Degree	13.4%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.1%

Online English Language & Literature Programs

In the 2017-2018 academic year, 1,716 schools offered some type of English language and literature program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	136	24
Certificate (1-2 years)	44	5
Certificate (2-4 Years)	4	0
Associate’s Degree	307	44
Bachelor’s Degree	114	19
Post-Baccalaureate	136	24
Master’s Degree	777	69
Post-Master’s	29	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	188	2
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	1	1

Is a Degree in English Language & Literature Worth It?

The median salary for a English language and literature grad is $73,090 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 83% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $663,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to English Language & Literature

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to English language and literature.

Major	Number of Grads
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities	516,754
Visual & Performing Arts	154,258
Foreign Languages & Linguistics	34,883
Theology & Religious Vocations	31,559
Philosophy & Religious Studies	16,163

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Mike Hazard under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.