English majors earn a wide range depending on career path. Writers and authors earn a median of $73,150, while technical writers earn $80,050. Editors earn $73,080. The degree does not guarantee high earnings, but English graduates who target high-demand writing and communication roles consistently out-earn the "useless major" stereotype.
You already know the script. Somebody asks what you are studying, you say English, and the follow-up is always some version of "so you want to be a teacher?" or "what are you going to do with that?" The real fear underneath this search is not about salary data. It is about whether you are going to graduate with $40,000 in debt and end up making less than your friends who studied something "practical."
Here is the honest picture: an English degree is not a ticket to instant wealth, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. But the narrative that English majors are all broke and unemployable is equally false. The data shows that English graduates who apply their skills strategically earn competitive salaries, especially in fields like technical writing, content strategy, UX writing, and communications. The problem is not the degree. The problem is that most English programs do not teach you how to market the skills you are developing.
For a broader analysis of whether the degree justifies its cost, see our English degree worth-it guide.
Entry-Level Salary: What to Expect Year One
The first year out is where English majors feel the salary pinch most acutely. Unlike engineering or nursing, there is no single well-defined career track with an obvious starting salary.
Entry-level editorial assistant roles at publishing houses pay $35,000 to $42,000 in most markets, with slightly higher figures in New York. This is one of the lowest-paying entry points for any degree, and it reflects the oversupply of candidates relative to available publishing positions.
Content writer and copywriter roles at agencies and in-house marketing teams start between $38,000 and $50,000 depending on market and industry. This range has improved significantly with the growth of content marketing, which has created far more writing jobs than traditional publishing ever offered.
Technical writing offers the strongest entry-level salaries for English graduates. Junior technical writers start between $50,000 and $60,000 because the supply of people who can write clearly about complex topics is much smaller than the supply of general writers1.
Teaching, the career everyone assumes English majors pursue, starts at $35,000 to $50,000 depending on state and district. Our education degree guide covers teaching salary details in depth.
Publishing is the lowest-paying industry for English majors at every career stage. If your primary goal is financial stability, treat publishing as a passion project or a stepping stone rather than a long-term career plan. Content strategy and technical writing roles use the same skills and pay 30 to 60 percent more.
Mid-Career Salary: Where the Money Actually Goes
Mid-career English majors show the widest salary dispersion of almost any major, because the degree feeds into so many different fields.
Writers and authors earn a median of $73,150 per year2. Editors earn $73,0803. Technical writers earn $80,0501. These are the BLS medians across all experience levels, so mid-career professionals in these fields typically earn at or above these figures.
But the real story is what happens to English majors who move beyond explicitly writing-focused roles. Content strategists at tech companies earn $80,000 to $120,000. UX writers at major firms earn $90,000 to $130,000. Communications directors at corporations and nonprofits earn $75,000 to $110,000.
The English majors earning the highest mid-career salaries almost never have "writer" or "editor" in their job title. They have titles like "Content Strategist," "UX Writer," "Communications Director," or "Product Marketing Manager." The writing skills are the same, but the business context doubles or triples the salary.
English majors who go to law school represent another high-earning pathway. English is one of the top undergraduate majors for LSAT performance, and lawyers with English backgrounds earn according to the legal profession's pay scale rather than the writing profession's.
Salary by Industry
The industry where you work matters as much as what you do within it. An English major doing writing work can earn dramatically different salaries depending on the sector.
Technology companies pay the highest salaries for English graduates across nearly every writing and communication role. Technical writers, content strategists, and UX writers at tech firms earn 25 to 50 percent above the national median for their roles.
Financial services and insurance companies pay well for clear writing because regulatory compliance, client communications, and internal documentation all require precision. Technical writers and communications professionals in finance earn $70,000 to $100,000 at mid-career.
Advertising and marketing agencies offer moderate salaries with rapid skills development. Copywriters start between $40,000 and $55,000 and can advance to creative director roles paying $100,000+ with experience.
Healthcare and pharmaceuticals hire medical writers and regulatory writers at premium salaries because the work requires both writing skill and subject matter expertise. Medical writers earn $70,000 to $110,000 depending on experience and specialization.
Publishing remains the lowest-paying industry for English graduates at every level. Mid-career editors at publishing houses earn $55,000 to $75,000, while their counterparts in tech or finance earn $80,000 to $110,000 for comparable work.
Nonprofit and education pay less than corporate sectors but offer other forms of compensation including mission alignment, schedule flexibility, and in some cases loan forgiveness programs.
English majors who work as medical writers in the pharmaceutical industry earn nearly twice as much as those who stay in traditional publishing. The skills required are remarkably similar: close reading, precise editing, and the ability to make complex information accessible. The salary difference comes entirely from the industry context.
Salary by Location
Geography affects English major salaries in predictable ways, with one important exception: remote writing and editing work has become far more available than in most other fields.
New York City is the traditional center of publishing and media, with the highest concentration of editorial jobs. Salaries are above the national median, but the cost of living erases much of the advantage for entry-level workers. Mid-career professionals fare better.
San Francisco, Seattle, and Austin offer the highest salaries for English graduates in tech-adjacent roles (UX writing, content strategy, technical writing). These markets pay 30 to 50 percent above the national median for writing-related positions.
Washington, DC pays well for English graduates who go into government communications, policy writing, public affairs, and think tank research. Federal writer-editor positions follow the GS pay scale with locality adjustments that make DC one of the highest-paying markets for government writing roles.
Remote work has been a genuine game-changer for English majors. Writing, editing, and content strategy work translates seamlessly to remote settings. English graduates who land remote positions with coastal companies while living in lower-cost areas can effectively increase their purchasing power by $15,000 to $30,000 annually.
Highest-Paying Career Paths With This Degree
UX Writer / Content Designer at technology companies is currently the highest-paying pure writing role for English graduates. Senior UX writers earn $100,000 to $140,000 at major tech firms. The work involves writing interface text, error messages, and product copy, and it requires understanding user psychology as much as language.
Technical Writer remains the most reliably high-paying path. The BLS median is $80,0501, and senior technical writers at large companies earn above $100,000. The field has strong projected growth and consistent demand across industries.
Content Strategy Director roles at mid-to-large companies pay $100,000 to $150,000. This path requires five to ten years of content experience and the ability to connect content decisions to business outcomes.
Communications Director / VP of Communications at corporations pay $90,000 to $160,000 depending on company size and industry. These leadership roles value the strategic thinking and writing ability that English degrees develop.
Attorney is worth mentioning because many English majors go to law school. Lawyers earn a median of $145,7604, and English is consistently one of the strongest pre-law undergraduate majors.
For all career paths, see our English degree careers guide.
What Actually Moves the Needle on Your Salary
Choosing the right industry is the single biggest lever. The same writing skills are worth $45,000 in publishing and $90,000 in tech. This is not about selling out. It is about understanding market dynamics and making informed decisions.
Learning adjacent technical skills creates salary premiums. English majors who learn SEO, analytics, HTML/CSS, or basic data visualization earn more than those who rely on writing ability alone. The combination of strong writing and technical literacy is rare.
Moving from production to strategy follows the same pattern as most fields: people who decide what to write and why earn more than people who write what they are told to write. Building toward content strategy, communications management, or editorial leadership roles is the clearest path to higher earnings.
Graduate school is a mixed bag for English majors. An MFA in creative writing has minimal salary impact. A law degree has enormous salary impact. A master's in technical communication or UX has solid salary impact. An English PhD leads to academic positions that pay modestly relative to the years invested. Choose based on the career you want, not the degree for its own sake.
If you are an English major who wants to maximize earnings without leaving writing behind, learn technical writing. You can pick up the core skills in one semester, and it opens the door to the highest-paying writing roles. The BLS projects 4 percent growth for technical writers through 20321, and companies consistently struggle to fill these positions because most strong writers are not interested in technical subjects. That gap is your opportunity.
If you are comparing English to other humanities options, also look at salary data for history and liberal arts to see how they stack up.
FAQ
How much do English majors make right out of college?
Entry-level salaries range from $35,000 (editorial assistant in publishing) to $60,000 (junior technical writer at a tech company). Content writing and copywriting roles start between $38,000 and $50,000. Teaching starts at $35,000 to $50,000 depending on state.
Is an English degree worth it financially?
It depends entirely on your career path. English majors in technical writing, content strategy, UX writing, and communications earn competitive mid-career salaries. Those who stay in traditional publishing or adjunct teaching face tighter financial realities. See our English degree worth-it analysis.
What is the highest-paying job for English majors?
Among writing-specific careers, UX writers and senior technical writers at tech companies earn $100,000 to $140,000. English majors who go to law school can earn even more. Communications directors and content strategy leaders at large companies also regularly earn six figures.
Do English majors earn less than STEM majors?
At entry level, yes, in most cases. The gap varies widely at mid-career depending on the specific career path. An English major working as a UX writer at a tech company earns comparably to many mid-career engineers. An English major working as a literary magazine editor does not.
How can English majors increase their salary?
Target high-paying industries (tech, finance, healthcare), learn technical skills (SEO, analytics, basic coding), move from writing production into content strategy or management, and consider specialized fields like technical writing or medical writing that pay a premium for clear communication about complex topics.
Should English majors go to graduate school?
Only if the specific program leads to a specific career outcome you want. Law school has clear salary ROI. A master's in technical communication or UX has good ROI. An MFA in creative writing has minimal salary impact. A PhD in English leads to a difficult academic job market with modest pay relative to the time invested.
How does an English salary compare to other humanities?
English majors earn comparably to most other humanities majors at entry level. At mid-career, English graduates have a slight advantage because writing skills are in higher demand across industries than many other humanities skills. The strongest salary outcomes go to English majors who enter business-facing roles rather than traditional academic or literary careers.
- English Degree Guide — Overview
- Is It Worth It?
- Career Paths
- Requirements
- How Hard Is It?
- Internships
- Best Colleges
Footnotes
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Technical Writers. BLS. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Writers and Authors. BLS. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/writers-and-authors.htm ↩
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Editors. BLS. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm ↩
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers. BLS. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm ↩