Because the skills that you learn while studying English are so versatile, employment prospects for English majors are exceptional. According to Payscale.com, the average salary for English majors is between $40,000 and $50,000, with the highest paid English majors pursuing law and business-related careers.
The mean salary for secondary school teachers is about $54,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the mean salary for elementary school teachers is about $52,000. Teaching at the elementary level is the twelfth fastest growing occupation in America, with an estimated 15% growth rate by 2018.
Breaking into the media industry as a journalist or an editor will be a bit more competitive than other potential career options. Now that newspapers are folding as the Internet becomes the country’s primary source of news, writers and editors will be competing for fewer and fewer jobs. Still, if you can get your foot in the door, prospects are good. An editor’s average mean salary is close to $60,000. Moreover, if you seek experience in web design while pursuing your English degree, your career prospects will certainly increase in terms of Internet media jobs, which are at all-time high now.
Another exploding industry that English majors are beginning to tap into is management consulting. When looking for consultants, employers are beginning to turn to English and other liberal arts majors, instead of hiring business majors, simply because they want a fresh, logical perspective that those who have read and written a lot possess. With only a BA in English, the right attitude, and a strong work ethic, you can pursue a career as a consultant, a position whose salary typically starts at about $46,000, according to Payscale.com’s data.
In the final analysis, in this uncertain economy, it will be those who have versatile skills that find rewarding jobs. Whether it’s law, business, media, or education, there is almost no industry which does not need the much sought-after skills of reading, writing, and thinking critically. With your English degree, your job prospects are almost limitless, and with additional training in business or technology, you’ll be unstoppable.