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Canadian Literature

What Canadian Literature Majors Need to Know

Programs in Canadian Literature emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Canadian Literature graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Canadian Literature emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Philosophy and Theology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Canadian Literature program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Canadian Literature careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Canadian Literature graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.7 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Canadian Literature professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Google Chrome	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Lucidchart	Process mapping and design software	—
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Blackboard Learn	Computer based training software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Canadian Literature graduates include:

• Literature Professor
• Creative Writing English Professor
• Developmental Reading Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Online English Instructor
• Etymology Teacher
• Etymology Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Instructor
• Creative Writing Professor
• Adjunct Writing Instructor
• Composition Professor
• Humanities Professor
• Language Arts Teacher
• Adjunct Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Canadian Literature graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	58.4%
Master’s degree	30.4%
Less than a high school diploma	9.6%
Post-master’s certificate	1.3%
Post-doctoral training	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Canadian Literature Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Canadian Literature graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$24,997
4 years	$42,308
5 years	$49,276

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $49,276 — roughly 97% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Canadian Literature Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Canadian Literature graduates earn a median of $42,308 four years after completion — roughly 11% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Literature	23.14
American Literature (United States)	23.1402
Children’s and Adolescent Literature	23.1405
English Literature (British and Commonwealth)	23.1404
General Literature	23.1401
Literature, Other	23.1499
Creative Writing	23.1302
English Language and Literature, General	23.0101
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	23.9999

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.