What jobs can you get with a English & Literature degree?

Common career paths include: Editor / Copy Editor, Technical Writer, Content Marketer, Journalist, High School English Teacher (with cert), Lawyer (with JD). Typical salary range (early-career; BLS figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels): $42,000–$60,000 early-career.

How can I find U.S. colleges that offer a English & Literature program?

Use CampusPin's free search at https://campuspin.com/results?q=English to filter U.S. universities and community colleges that offer English & Literature programs by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and more.

English & Literature major

English & Literature: courses, careers, and where to study

English develops critical reading, analytical writing, and rhetorical skill, a flexible major that feeds into law, publishing, education, marketing, and any field that values communication.

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in English & Literature earn a median $48,590 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $33,654 to $63,810 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college

An English major covers literature (American, British, world, multicultural), creative writing, rhetoric and composition, and literary theory. Programs typically include a tracking choice, Literature, Creative Writing, Professional Writing, or Secondary Education, plus a senior research thesis or portfolio. The major builds skills (writing, analysis, evidence-based argument) that transfer broadly across professional fields.

English graduates work in publishing, journalism, marketing/content, technical writing, education, and law (English is a common pre-law major). The major pairs well with a minor in Communications, Marketing, or a foreign language.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, English & Literature maps to CIP 23.0101, English Language and Literature, General, within the ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS family. The official definition:

A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What credential English & Literature is awarded as

Of the 33,362 English & Literature credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:

Certificate: <1%, 311 credentials.
Associate: 8%, 2,652 credentials.
Bachelor's: 78%, 25,993 credentials.
Graduate: 13%, 4,406 credentials.

This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 50 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 2 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.

Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.

What you'll study

Literary analysis and theory
Survey of American, British, and world literature
Rhetoric and composition
Creative or professional writing workshops
Linguistics fundamentals
Research methods in the humanities
Genre studies (poetry, fiction, drama, nonfiction)
Senior thesis or portfolio

Typical careers

Typical salary range: $42,000–$60,000 early-careerRanges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

How much do English & Literature graduates earn?

National median earnings four years after graduating for English & Literature, by credential
Credential	National median	Middle half of programs
Bachelor's	$48,590	$33,654 to $63,810
Associate's	$36,134	$21,855 to $50,732
Undergraduate certificate	$29,202	$14,608 to $47,098
Master's	$55,512	$39,177 to $72,721
Doctoral	$65,831	$51,001 to $82,694

Compare English & Literature programs in your state

Highest-earning bachelor's English & Literature programs

Georgetown University (DC): $78,370, median federal debt $16,000
University of Chicago (IL): $78,169
College of the Holy Cross (MA): $74,214, median federal debt $27,000
Brown University (RI): $73,497, median federal debt $12,974
Boston College (MA): $70,141, median federal debt $18,940
Tufts University (MA): $69,475, median federal debt $14,670
Williams College (MA): $69,065, median federal debt $13,125
University of San Diego (CA): $68,752, median federal debt $24,000
Trinity College (CT): $68,063, median federal debt $22,592
Villanova University (PA): $67,157, median federal debt $26,899

Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: English Language and Literature, General. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with English & Literature, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.

Occupations associated with English & Literature by the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, with median annual wage, projected annual openings, projected employment change, and the education most entrants typically hold.
Occupation	Median pay	Openings / yr	Projected change	Most entrants hold
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$64,580	66,200	-1.6%	Bachelor's degree
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary	$78,270	5,100	0%	Doctoral or professional degree
Proofreaders and Copy Markers	$49,210	1,900	-0.6%	Bachelor's degree

Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 3 of these 3 occupations report a median wage.

“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying English & Literature does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.

Before you commit to a English & Literature major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific English & Literature program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the English & Literature department

Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?

Accreditation & licensure: Most English & Literature programs are covered by their institution's regional accreditation; specialized programmatic accreditation is less common in this field. Confirm any field-specific accreditation or licensure that matters for your goals.

Degree level & graduate study: Many English & Literature careers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a English & Literature program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Colleges that awarded the most English & Literature credentials

Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.

Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Search English & Literature schools

Where English & Literature credentials were awarded

46 states have a distinct enough set of English & Literature colleges to be worth its own page.

English & Literature by state

Every English & Literature program with its own CampusPin page

188 programs in 44 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.

English & Literature programs in Alabama2 programs

The University of Alabama Bachelor's, $44,278
University of Alabama at Birmingham Bachelor's, $48,706

English & Literature programs in Arizona3 programs

Arizona State University Campus Immersion Bachelor's, $50,205
Northern Arizona University Bachelor's, $45,915
University of Arizona Bachelor's, $44,058

English & Literature programs in Arkansas1 program

University of Arkansas Bachelor's, $47,809

English & Literature programs in California25 programs

Ashford University Bachelor's, $47,071
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Bachelor's, $63,413
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Bachelor's, $47,721
California State University-Channel Islands Bachelor's, $53,200
California State University-Chico Bachelor's, $49,189
California State University-Fresno Bachelor's, $47,223
California State University-Fullerton Bachelor's, $51,845
California State University-Long Beach Bachelor's, $49,804
California State University-Los Angeles Bachelor's, $52,259
California State University-Northridge Bachelor's, $47,660
California State University-Sacramento Bachelor's, $50,680
California State University-San Bernardino Bachelor's, $43,648
California State University-San Marcos Bachelor's, $54,985
California State University-Stanislaus Bachelor's, $54,501
Loyola Marymount University Bachelor's, $66,806
National University Master's, $66,189
San Diego State University Bachelor's, $49,406
San Francisco State University Bachelor's, $56,297
Sonoma State University Bachelor's, $59,418
University of California-Davis Bachelor's, $59,012
University of California-Irvine Bachelor's, $54,299
University of California-Riverside Bachelor's, $50,712
University of California-Santa Barbara Bachelor's, $59,334
University of California, Berkeley Bachelor's, $60,187
University of California, Los Angeles Bachelor's, $55,346

English & Literature programs in Colorado4 programs

Colorado State University-Fort Collins Bachelor's, $46,154
Metropolitan State University of Denver Bachelor's, $51,955
University of Colorado Boulder Bachelor's, $54,085
University of Colorado Colorado Springs Bachelor's, $42,627

English & Literature programs in Connecticut3 programs

Central Connecticut State University Bachelor's, $55,295
Southern Connecticut State University Bachelor's, $50,725
University of Connecticut Bachelor's, $55,376

English & Literature programs in Delaware1 program

University of Delaware Bachelor's, $56,243

English & Literature programs in District of Columbia1 program

Georgetown University Bachelor's, $78,370

English & Literature programs in Florida8 programs

Florida Atlantic University Bachelor's, $47,642
Florida Gulf Coast University Bachelor's, $45,842
Florida International University Bachelor's, $47,659
Florida State University Bachelor's, $52,602
University of Central Florida Bachelor's, $46,532
University of Florida Bachelor's, $49,046
University of North Florida Bachelor's, $42,390
University of South Florida Bachelor's, $45,178

English & Literature programs in Georgia6 programs

Georgia College & State University Bachelor's, $44,931
Georgia Southern University Bachelor's, $45,901
Georgia State University Bachelor's, $49,792
Kennesaw State University Bachelor's, $50,587
University of Georgia Bachelor's, $51,988
University of West Georgia Bachelor's, $40,855

English & Literature programs in Hawaii1 program

University of Hawaii at Manoa Bachelor's, $39,948

English & Literature programs in Idaho2 programs

Boise State University Bachelor's, $39,059
Brigham Young University-Idaho Bachelor's, $36,173

English & Literature programs in Illinois8 programs

DePaul University Bachelor's, $52,608
Illinois State University Bachelor's, $47,445
Loyola University Chicago Bachelor's, $56,289
Northeastern Illinois University Bachelor's, $49,141
Northern Illinois University Bachelor's, $47,981
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Bachelor's, $41,310
University of Illinois Chicago Bachelor's, $48,442
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Bachelor's, $54,570

English & Literature programs in Indiana3 programs

Ball State University Bachelor's, $38,676
Indiana University-Bloomington Bachelor's, $56,204
Indiana University-Indianapolis Bachelor's, $38,198

English & Literature programs in Iowa3 programs

Iowa State University Bachelor's, $49,626
University of Iowa Bachelor's, $51,679
University of Northern Iowa Bachelor's, $46,343

English & Literature programs in Kansas1 program

University of Kansas Bachelor's, $46,464

English & Literature programs in Kentucky3 programs

Northern Kentucky University Bachelor's, $44,385
University of Kentucky Bachelor's, $44,384
University of Louisville Bachelor's, $45,572

English & Literature programs in Louisiana1 program

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Bachelor's, $49,464

English & Literature programs in Maine1 program

University of Southern Maine Bachelor's, $43,823

English & Literature programs in Maryland4 programs

Towson University Bachelor's, $53,164
University of Maryland Global Campus Bachelor's, $54,444
University of Maryland, Baltimore County Bachelor's, $57,547
University of Maryland, College Park Bachelor's, $59,288

English & Literature programs in Massachusetts8 programs

Boston College Bachelor's, $70,141
Bridgewater State University Bachelor's, $51,020
College of the Holy Cross Bachelor's, $74,214
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Bachelor's, $39,955
Smith College Bachelor's, $52,938
University of Massachusetts Boston Bachelor's, $53,347
University of Massachusetts Lowell Bachelor's, $54,039
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Bachelor's, $47,268

English & Literature programs in Michigan6 programs

Central Michigan University Bachelor's, $39,262
Grand Valley State University Bachelor's, $45,237
Michigan State University Bachelor's, $49,154
Oakland University Bachelor's, $48,101
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Bachelor's, $57,809
Wayne State University Bachelor's, $42,585

English & Literature programs in Minnesota1 program

University of Minnesota Twin Cities Bachelor's, $47,873

English & Literature programs in Missouri1 program

University of Missouri-Columbia Bachelor's, $47,487

English & Literature programs in Nebraska1 program

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bachelor's, $48,785

English & Literature programs in Nevada2 programs

University of Nevada-Las Vegas Bachelor's, $48,773
University of Nevada-Reno Bachelor's, $45,095

English & Literature programs in New Hampshire1 program

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Bachelor's, $52,697

English & Literature programs in New Jersey10 programs

Georgian Court University Bachelor's, $56,715
Kean University Bachelor's, $54,749
Monmouth University Bachelor's, $60,220
Montclair State University Bachelor's, $45,337
New Jersey City University Bachelor's, $60,574
Rowan University Bachelor's, $57,895
Rutgers University-New Brunswick Bachelor's, $55,337
Stockton University Bachelor's, $52,809
The College of New Jersey Bachelor's, $56,905
William Paterson University of New Jersey Bachelor's, $42,632

English & Literature programs in New Mexico1 program

University of New Mexico-Main Campus Bachelor's, $46,850

English & Literature programs in New York15 programs

Binghamton University Bachelor's, $64,555
College of Staten Island CUNY Bachelor's, $53,083
CUNY Brooklyn College Bachelor's, $54,014
CUNY City College Bachelor's, $47,753
CUNY Hunter College Bachelor's, $55,759
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Bachelor's, $56,768
CUNY Lehman College Bachelor's, $54,674
CUNY Queens College Bachelor's, $50,194
Fordham University Bachelor's, $63,834
New York University Bachelor's, $66,306
Stony Brook University Bachelor's, $55,210
SUNY Brockport Bachelor's, $43,956
Syracuse University Bachelor's, $60,602
University at Albany Bachelor's, $51,206
University at Buffalo Bachelor's, $51,385

English & Literature programs in North Carolina8 programs

Appalachian State University Bachelor's, $45,954
East Carolina University Bachelor's, $43,585
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Bachelor's, $48,338
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bachelor's, $51,208
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Bachelor's, $49,088
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Bachelor's, $38,366
University of North Carolina Wilmington Bachelor's, $46,008
Western Carolina University Bachelor's, $45,079

English & Literature programs in Ohio4 programs

Cleveland State University Bachelor's, $41,767
Kent State University at Kent Bachelor's, $36,241
Ohio State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $48,301
Wright State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $41,987

English & Literature programs in Oregon2 programs

Portland State University Bachelor's, $43,342
University of Oregon Bachelor's, $47,639

English & Literature programs in Pennsylvania4 programs

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bachelor's, $46,990
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $50,299
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Bachelor's, $50,034
Temple University Bachelor's, $53,018

English & Literature programs in Rhode Island1 program

University of Rhode Island Bachelor's, $54,524

English & Literature programs in South Carolina3 programs

Clemson University Bachelor's, $50,582
Coastal Carolina University Bachelor's, $37,707
University of South Carolina-Columbia Bachelor's, $45,185

English & Literature programs in Tennessee4 programs

Middle Tennessee State University Bachelor's, $47,105
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Bachelor's, $45,253
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Bachelor's, $46,366
University of Memphis Bachelor's, $41,383

English & Literature programs in Texas12 programs

Sam Houston State University Bachelor's, $48,761
Texas A & M International University Bachelor's, $45,454
Texas A & M University-College Station Bachelor's, $56,703
Texas State University Bachelor's, $47,634
Texas Tech University Bachelor's, $50,849
The University of Texas at Arlington Bachelor's, $50,495
The University of Texas at Austin Bachelor's, $53,860
The University of Texas at El Paso Bachelor's, $45,184
The University of Texas at San Antonio Bachelor's, $44,680
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Bachelor's, $45,746
University of Houston Bachelor's, $49,884
University of North Texas Bachelor's, $52,576

English & Literature programs in Utah4 programs

Brigham Young University Bachelor's, $54,290
University of Utah Bachelor's, $47,005
Utah State University Bachelor's, $50,708
Utah Valley University Bachelor's, $44,206

English & Literature programs in Vermont1 program

University of Vermont Bachelor's, $49,101

English & Literature programs in Virginia9 programs

Christopher Newport University Bachelor's, $55,379
George Mason University Bachelor's, $56,071
James Madison University Bachelor's, $57,487
Old Dominion University Bachelor's, $49,024
University of Mary Washington Bachelor's, $45,824
University of Virginia-Main Campus Bachelor's, $55,412
Virginia Commonwealth University Bachelor's, $45,844
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Bachelor's, $64,225
William & Mary Bachelor's, $57,616

English & Literature programs in Washington3 programs

University of Washington-Seattle Campus Bachelor's, $57,649
Washington State University Bachelor's, $50,745
Western Washington University Bachelor's, $46,571

English & Literature programs in West Virginia2 programs

American Public University System Bachelor's, $43,415
West Virginia University Bachelor's, $41,920

English & Literature programs in Wisconsin4 programs

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Bachelor's, $46,075
University of Wisconsin-Madison Bachelor's, $53,197
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bachelor's, $46,712
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Bachelor's, $46,409

Related majors

Put this major in context

The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a English & Literature degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.

Explore Education & Library careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

Explore Office & Administrative Support careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

How one major leads to many careers

Why a single English & Literature degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.

Why a median wage is not a starting salary

How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.

When accreditation and licensure matter

How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a English & Literature path before you enroll.

Does a pricier college pay off?

How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.

Does picking a major narrow your college list?

Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.

Certificate or degree?

What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.