Are you an English major wondering what to do with your degree? You can be sure that your education won’t go to waste. You may just be starting out on your career path, and finding the right job in line with your degree can seem daunting. However, your knowledge will make you a valuable asset in many fields of employment. There are a lot of career opportunities out there. We have compiled a list of 15 great jobs for English majors, indicating some duties involved, to give you an idea of several career choices where you can put your education to good use.
Primary duties: Account executives are responsible for handling the day-to-day operations of their client’s accounts and developing and maintaining relationships with their clients. Good communication, organizational, and administrative skills are needed. If you’re an English major with solid people skills, this could be the right job.
Median salary: $98,000.
Jobs available: 60,288
Primary duties: An associate consultant provides consulting services to clients in a variety of fields. This career would suit an English major with a strong interest in business. Excellent research and writing skills, as well as analytical and problem-solving skills, will be required of you as an associate consultant.
Salary: $65,000-$70,000 for entry-level consultants.
Jobs available: 48,867
Primary duties: Content writers create content for a variety of different platforms, such as websites, blogs, and social media. This job requires excellent writing and editing skills, as well as knowledge of SEO and how to write for different audiences. This is a good fit for English majors with strong writing skills.
Salary: from $14,000. The typical content writer earns $47,800 annually.
Jobs available: 5,679
Primary duties: Copy editors are responsible for proofreading and editing text for errors, as well as ensuring that the text meets the style guidelines of the publication. This job requires excellent attention to detail, as well as strong editing and grammar skills.
Salary: Less experienced copy editors earn$25,000 – $30,000. Established copy editors make $60,000+.
Jobs available: 4,651
Primary duties: Copywriters write concise, punchy copy for marketing and advertising purposes for businesses, publications and websites. This job requires excellent writing and editing skills, as well as creativity and the ability to think outside the box. Suitable for English majors with strong creative writing skills.
Salary: Minimum experience $3,000 – $15,000. Experienced copywriters: $75,000 – $150,000. Highly skilled copywriters make over $300,000/year.
Jobs available: 5,565
Primary duties: Customer service representatives provide customer support and services to companies and businesses. This job requires excellent interpersonal skills, a love of working with people, and the patience to remain calm in pressure situations.
Salary: $35,000 – $45,000.
Jobs available: 94,827
Primary duties: Editorial assistants provide support to the editorial staff of publications such as magazines. It goes without saying that excellent writing and editing skills are a must for this job, as well as the ability to multitask and work under pressure.
Salary: $30,000 – $233,000. Median salary: $66,000.
Jobs available: 1,643
Primary duties: Executive assistants provide administrative support to an executive or senior manager. This job requires several abilities: organizational, communication, administrative, and customer-relation skills.
Salary: $49,000 – $78,000. Median salary: $63,000.
Jobs available: 27,913
Primary duties: Journalists who write for news publications and report on current events require excellent writing and research skills, as well as the ability to think critically and objectively. A strong interest in current affairs is required, and a nose for a good story.
Salary: $35,000 – $49,000
Jobs available: 2,525
Primary duties: A marketing coordinator creates and implements marketing plans for a company. This profession demands exceptional writing, editing, as well as creativity. Strong interpersonal skills are a must.
Salary: $50,000 – $67,000. Median salary: $58,000.
Jobs available: 29,720
Primary duties: Proposal writers create proposals for products or services. This job requires excellent writing and research skills, as well as the ability to think critically. Suitable for English majors with strong logical and people skills.
Salary: $62,000 – $154,000. Highly successful proposal writers earn $340,000/year.
Jobs available: 5,704
Primary duties: Public relations coordinators develop and execute public relations campaigns for corporates. Good writing, planning, and communication skills, as well as creativity and strong interpersonal skills.
Salary: $26,000 – $161,000. Median wage: $55,000. Highly successful PR coordinators make $161,000 per year.
Jobs available: 14,320
Primary duties: Social media coordinators develop and execute social media campaigns for large companies and smaller businesses. This job requires an excellent knowledge of social media, as well as good writing and communication skills, and creative flair.
Salary: $62,000 – $78,000.
Jobs available: 9,499
Primary duties: Often thought of as a very worthwhile and rewarding profession requiring dedication and commitment, conventional teachers provide instruction to students in a classroom setting. Excellent communication, people, and organizational skills are required.
Salary: High school teachers’ average income is $67,000. Elementary and Middle School teachers: $65,000.
Jobs available: 47,071
Primary duties: Technical writers produce technical manuals and documents for all types of products. This career is suitable for those who are technically minded. The job requires excellent writing and research skills, and a sharp focus on detail.
Salary: $38,000 – $133,000. Median salary: $69,000.
Jobs available: 5,838
As can be seen, there are a variety of interesting and rewarding jobs available to English majors. With a degree in English, you have a wealth of transferable skills that are in high demand in the workforce.
