7 Career Choices For English Major Grads

English language majors are in high demand because of the various job roles that they can take on. There are a lot of positions available that also pay well for English language majors. 

English language majors and linguists are employed by prestigious law firms, international organizations like the UN, and a variety of other organizations in important positions. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 1.7 million English majors are employed. Graduates in this field have been growing at a modest rate of 1.7% each year. 

With an average salary of around $51,000, most professionals with an English major find employment in the field of teaching at all levels, including elementary, secondary, college, university, and even a variety of professional schools.

However, that is not the only area you can explore. Translators, international analysts, interpreters, and a host of other professionals also require English majors. Here are some other career choices that you can pursue with a master’s or Bachelor of Arts in English:

Tutor

People with an English language degree can quickly find employment as tutors, assisting pupils in deepening their understanding of particular subjects. Professions like tutoring are evergreen and the demand for skilled tutors seldom decreases, so you can quickly find employment as soon as you complete your education.

Being a tutor is fantastic because it allows you to use many skills you learned throughout your studies. Furthermore, you might establish a name for yourself by knowing any other foreign language besides English.

With the English language major, it is not necessary that you only teach this subject, but in various elementary and secondary schools, you can take up multiple classes as well, depending on your convenience and comfort.  

Teaching

Tutoring and teaching may seem like one in the same thing, but there are differences between the two. While tutors are generally known to offer private classes, teachers are hired by various educational institutions at the elementary level all the way to the postgrad level. 

Teacher salaries can start at almost $31,000 a year with an average of $42,000, although these numbers are not set in stone. Universities can offer much higher salaries to teachers. With an English major, you can easily craft a career in teaching where you can work for an academic institution and even curate online courses in certain niches. 

Translator

It is only natural to add the following occupation to the list. You may be considered somewhat of an expert in English if you have a degree in it. This implies that you have various opportunities to work as a translator. If English is not your mother tongue or you are fluent in any other language, you can find a job that entails translating text, spoken content, and a variety of other material from one language to the other.

Translators are needed for different types of work, including freelancing and diplomatic communication, and the pay will vary accordingly. 

Creative writer

While it may seem cliché, a creative or copywriter’s job is to draft marketing materials that can be used for promotional purposes on numerous forums. In addition to text and scripts for films or photos, this also covers, to mention a few, product descriptions, social media posts, web copy, articles, and blogs. Because of how interconnected the globe is, marketing materials can be used to reach various markets and demographics. 

Being an English language major, you will naturally fit in because you not only possess the capacity to speak in a variety of languages, but you also possess the ability to conduct excellent research and write well. You can produce eye-catching content for numerous global businesses and earn top bucks in the process.

Communication and public relation specialists

Communication and public relations (PR) are different from marketing and advertising in the sense that one involves payment for running ads while the other focuses more on perception building. Simply put, communication is what a business has to say about itself and its offerings, whereas PR is what others say about the business on its behalf. Either way, with an English language major, you are also in a great position to explore this career. 

Since you know more about the English language than most others, you can play with words in a distinct manner. Audiences respond to creativity and personalization, so as a communication and PR professional, you can draft guest blogs and articles in a way that feels like an independent, unbiased opinion that is captivating to read. 

Scriptwriter

An English language degree opens a wide variety of employment avenues for you; script writing is another example. Since you understand the written and spoken forms more comprehensively than other people, you are able to draft more engaging communications and documents for the audience to enjoy. 

These days, scriptwriting is not limited to movies and documentaries. You can also find freelancing or full-time work developing scripts for TV shows, podcasts, web series, and even video games. You can make good money along the way depending on where you choose to work and offer your services. 

Travel nurse

This one may seem out of the blue, but given that traveling to patients’ homes, including in foreign countries, is possible, English language majors can come in handy for travel nurses. Being a travel nurse is one of the highest-paying careers you can enter as a language major. Of course, you’ll need the right healthcare training, certifications, and degree for the work, just like other careers on this list.

Given that a travel nurse must travel internationally or domestically depending on the scope of their duties, having a language degree can be quite beneficial in overcoming communication barriers and making healthcare more accessible.

Conclusion

A wide range of industries, including, but not limited to, marketing, healthcare, finance, administration, and education, offer attractive employment prospects for English language majors. Several factors, such as communication, empathy, cultural awareness, and language skills, are also important. When combined, these abilities make a language major fit into various vocations. So choose one of the careers mentioned above and follow your ambitions.