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General English Literature Major

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General English Literature

3,951 Master's Degrees Annually
924 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#47 in Popularity (Master's)
$64,340 Median Salary

Types of Degrees General English Literature Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general English literature graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 3,951
Doctor’s Degree 924
Graduate Certificate 91

What General English Literature Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, English majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for English Majors

English majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • 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.
  • Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • 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.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for English Majors

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

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • 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.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for English Majors

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

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • 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.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a General English Literature Major?

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

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
English Language and Literature Professors 9.8% $66,590
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 7.5% $60,320

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in General English Literature?

3,951 Master's Degrees Annually
72% Percent Women
24% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
General English Literature runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #47 out of all the graduate majors we track. In 2021, about 3,951 graduates completed their master’s degree in this field. This major is dominated by women with about 72% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 120
Black or African American 231
Hispanic or Latino 414
White 2,694
International Students 172
Other Races/Ethnicities 320

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in English. About 4.4% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • South Korea
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Japan
  • Mexico

How Much Do General English Literature Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of general English literature students with a master’s degree is $44,855 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $39,787 (25th percentile) and $48,879 (75th percentile).

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It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to English.

Salaries According to BLS

English majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $64,340 to $78,150 (25th to 75th percentile). 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.

Median Salary for a General English Literature Major  ( 64340 to 78150 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some careers associated with English 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 have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 4.6%
Bachelor’s Degree 28.7%
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. 8.0%
Master’s Degree 27.6%
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. 2.9%
Doctoral Degree 30.0%
Post-Doctoral Training 0.2%

Online General English Literature Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,525 schools offered some type of general English 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) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 14 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 238 29
Bachelor’s Degree 42 9
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 412 23
Post-Master’s 13 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 145 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 1 0

Is a Degree in General English Literature Worth It?

The median salary for a English grad is $64,340 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 61% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $488,800 after 20 years!

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

Major Number of Grads
Writing Studies 4,263
English Literature (Other) 175
Literature 162

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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