Today’s society has valued the ‘BS’ much higher than the ‘BA;’ they have classified the humanities as dead: pointless, useless, and a waste of money. Humanities areas of study, such as English, is the past and STEM is the future. As an English major, I have heard many interesting remarks in response to my area of study. Some classic comments include “what can you do with a degree in English anyways? You know that you have to become a teacher, right? Are you sure that’s the right major; I’ve heard that people with English degrees make barely any money!”
These negative stereotypes are enduring and unfortunately, many people listen to them. In this piece, I will be challenging these opinions through statistical evidence and my own personal take on this issue.
Available Jobs:
Many critics of the English major argue that there aren’t many jobs available other than becoming a teacher. I think that the logic behind this is the false assumption that English majors only read. Yes, we do read but we also go well beyond simply reading. We discuss, analyze, argue, and write on a wide variety of enduring issues. We investigate different voices that are often ignored. We examine the historical stance of a specific theme and trace it to the modern-day. English is one of the most versatile areas of study. The skills outlined above are useful in virtually every profession.
Well, what can you do with that English degree anyway? English majors go on to become journalists, authors, film producers, lawyers, judges, technical writers, teachers, professors, managers, market research analysts, and human resource specialists. I should emphasize that this is the beginning of a never-ending list of options. I would also like to point out that teacher was not the only job on this list. So no, if you are an English major, you do not have to become a teacher. You have an endless number of doors open to you, leading to a diverse array of opportunities.
Salaries for English major pursued Jobs:
As to the point of English majors making no money- I can confirm that the truth is far from this. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 technical writers made a median salary of $74,650 Likewise, authors made a median salary of $67,120. Producers and directors took home $76,400. Postsecondary teachers made a median salary of $80,560. This level of income is on-par with the US Census Bureau’s median household income of $67,521 in 2020. Therefore, it can be safely concluded that those with an English degree are not struggling to make ends meet. They are successful individuals who have more than enough money to provide for themselves and their families.
My current experience:
I am currently in the last semester of my sophomore year and will soon be halfway done with my undergraduate studies. I have completed several courses in my area of study, and I can personally attest to the relevance of this major. I made the decision to study English as a junior in high school and this is a decision that I have happily stood by throughout college.
So, I am here to tell you a diverging narrative about the English major; that it is one of the most pertinent and universal areas of study which can lead to immense success. I have taken diverse courses which helped me to understand American and British literature in a meaningful and applicable way. I believe that in these courses I am being very well prepared for my future academic and professional goals. Being an English major has opened so many doors for me and given me a great degree of agency through flexibility. The summer after my freshman year of college I was able to secure a wonderful internship as an English major. I am on track to complete all my academic goals.
It’s my opinion that the English major does not simply fulfill someone financially. It leaves people with a sense of awareness for human experiences- the voices behind the stories which we read.