by our College Data Analytics TeamAn English Major includes a broad education in many subjects. This major provides a great education for the student who may not have a specific career path in mind.
However, Students can also choose to specialize in a subject such as British Literature, Children's Literature, or even African Literature, Environmental Literature, Classic Studies, Journalism or Film Studies. In this major you will learn critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. You will work with many different types of prose and poetry to ensure a rounded education.
Classes will range depending on the focus of your major. Classes you can expect to come across include: introduction to literature, tragedy and comedy, classic Greek, survey of British literature, survey of American literature, and the history of the English language.
A degree in English Literature (Other) covers English Language And Literature/letters, Other. Read on to learn the essential details every english literature (other) student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering english literature (other) programs.
In the U.S., english literature (other) is a widely-pursued major, with 1,064 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best English Literature (Other) Schools ranking analyzes these 51 schools to determine the best overall colleges for english literature (other) students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of english literature (other) programs later in this article.
Programs in English Literature (Other) emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations english literature (other) graduates commonly enter.
It should be no surprise to you that communication skills are very important in this major. An English Major involves tons of reading, writing, and analyzing texts. Employ good time management skills to get through all your reading and writing assignments, or you may end up finishing a paper due the next day at 5AM.
Creativity will help you find new angles when writing your papers. There is no single interpretation for a piece of text. If you like black and white answers this is not a major for you. You should be ready to take unconventional approaches and think outside the box. This will allow you to grow and develop your own opinions rather than relying on your professor's interpretation of the work.
English majors do a lot of research, writing, re-writing and editing. By the time you are finished your writing skills will be well developed. Learn to take constructive criticism to make your work better. These skills are valued in almost any career field.
The skill set emphasized by a english literature (other) program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a english literature (other) major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several english literature (other) degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 18 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 332 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 528 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 169 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 17 |
People currently working in careers related to english literature (other) tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in english literature (other) careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
This degree will allow you to go in multiple fields. You can easily continue your education to become a teacher or a professor who specializes in a certain area of English. Students may also choose to go to Law school or obtain an Master of Business or Marketing. The skills you learn in your English classes will be easily transferable. Aside from education, many graduates work in writing, publishing, editing, copyrighting, advertising, media or sales.
Studying english literature (other) opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to english literature (other).
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to english literature (other).
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,273,615 | 14.3% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of english literature (other) graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $30,110 |
| 4 years | $43,500 |
| 5 years | $46,239 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for english literature (other) graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers english literature (other) grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $88,437 |
With 51 different english literature (other) programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased english literature (other) school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in english literature (other), you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 1,064 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 34,210 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 12,869 |
| Literature | 783 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
