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 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	42,686
Master’s Degree	8,280
Associate’s Degree	3,340
Basic Certificate	2,913
Doctor’s Degree	1,303
Undergraduate Certificate	469
Graduate Certificate	308

What English Language & Literature Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to English language and literature were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for English Language & Literature Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• 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

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to English language and literature:

• 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

As you progress with your English language and literature degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• 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?

Below is a list of occupations associated with English language and literature:

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 72% 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	1,708
Black or African American	3,239
Hispanic or Latino	6,019
White	27,689
International Students	693
Other Races/Ethnicities	3,338

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in English Language & Literature, too. About 1.6% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do English Language & Literature Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature have a median salary of $26,900 during the early years of their career. 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

Average salaries range from $69,480 to $76,990 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to English language and literature. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to English language and literature have obtained the following education levels.

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 2018-2019, 1,732 schools offered a English language and literature program of some type. 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)	157	24
Certificate (1-2 years)	46	5
Certificate (2-4 Years)	4	0
Associate’s Degree	318	50
Bachelor’s Degree	130	27
Post-Baccalaureate	157	24
Master’s Degree	776	75
Post-Master’s	30	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	187	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	2	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	547,539
Visual & Performing Arts	153,295
Foreign Languages & Linguistics	34,386
Theology & Religious Vocations	32,172
Philosophy & Religious Studies	16,252

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• 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.