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.

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 33,864 English & Literature credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:

  • Certificate<1%296
  • Associate8%2,653
  • Bachelor's77%26,188
  • Graduate14%4,727

This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 50 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 3 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 2023-24, 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.

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 & Literatureby the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, with median annual wage, projected annual openings, projected employment change, and the education most entrants typically hold.
OccupationMedian payOpenings / yrProjected changeMost entrants hold
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,58066,200-1.6%Bachelor's degree
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,2705,1000%Doctoral or professional degree
Proofreaders and Copy Markers$49,2101,900-0.6%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 & Literaturecareers 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 2023-24. 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 2023-24. 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

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

Search English & Literature schools by state

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.