Top Jobs for English Majors

Wondering how you can earn a living with your English degree? Check out this list of 10 of the best-paying and most common jobs for English majors.

By Christine Laue, Monster contributor

Doth thee knoweth of any jobs for scholars of English? (Very rough translation for non-Shakespearian scholars: “Do you know of any jobs for English majors?”)

Fear not, English majors have some well-paying career options. Apply your communication and critical-thinking skills to other areas.

Your salary as an English major will depend on experience level, specialty niche, and where in the country you're employed. Same thing applies for related career paths, such as comparative literature majors and linguistics majors.

For example, a business development manager salary in Escondido, California, is 2% lower than the national median; a content marketing manager salary in New Haven, Connecticut, is 9% lower than the national median; and a public relations manager salary in the Bronx, New York, is 6% lower than the national median.

Using data from Monster and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we rounded up some jobs for English majors that will earn you a great paycheck.

Advertising Account Executive

Jobs for English majors often rely on a keen understanding of language. And advertising is all about language—the persuasive kind. Employed by advertising agencies, account executives serve as the main point of contact between the agency and client. In this role, you’ll need to be able to quickly grasp clients’ goals and make use of the creative resources within the agency to build effective campaigns. Check out this sample resume for an advertising account executive.

Median salary: The median salary for an advertising account executive is $62,075 per year and can reach upwards of $77,340.

Find account executive jobs on Monster.

Business Development Specialist

Similar to how many English majors make great teachers, they also can make for excellent business development specialist. In overseeing and managing staff, business development specialists plan, direct, and coordinate, and, essentially, teach programs to expand upon the knowledge and skills of an organization’s employees.

Median salary: The median salary for a business development specialist is $60,090 per year and can reach upwards of $80,930.

Find business development jobs on Monster.

Content Marketing Manager

Content marketing managers create clear, compelling, and concise communications about an organization’s marketing strategy. Their work can include coordinating press releases and website content, developing promotional strategies and campaigns, and editing white papers.

Median salary: The median salary for a content marketing manager is $70,240 per year and can reach $97,060.

Find content marketing jobs on Monster.

Employment Recruiter

Recruiters spend their days screening, interviewing, and placing workers in jobs as well as handle employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training. Being an effective communicator and a good judge of character will help you to excel in this role. Check out this sample resume for a recruiter.

Median salary: The median salary for a recruiter is $53,830 per year and can reach $73,320.

Find recruiter jobs on Monster.

Human Resources Manager

An HR manager handles all aspects of human resources work, including recruitment; employee relations; payroll and benefits; training; and administering human resources policies, procedures, and programs. Communication skills are important when explaining these, sometimes sensitive, policies to employees. Check out this sample resume for a human resources generalist.

Median salary: The median salary for a human resources manager is $67,600 per year and can reach $93,780.

Find human resources jobs on Monster.

Proposal Manager

Remember persuasive writing? Proposal managers use those same skills to help their organizations land new work. They coordinate writers, illustrators, and other team members to prepare proposals on behalf of their company for contracted projects, like building a school. English majors’ mastery of language and details can help them excel in this role.

Median salary: $77,760 per year

Find proposal manager jobs on Monster.

Public Relations Manager

How good are your communication skills? Serving as the main point of contact between an organization and the masses, public relations managers communicate with external and internal sources on a daily basis. Their work can include writing press releases, developing an organization’s or client’s image and identity, implementing advertising and promotional campaigns, targeting external audiences and expanding outreach, and serving as a spokesperson or information source for media inquiries. Check out this sample resume for a public relations manager.

Median salary: The median salary for a public relations manager is $64,510 per year and can reach $83,670.

Find public relations manager jobs on Monster.

Regional Sales Manager

You might not equate jobs for English majors with sales people, but to make a sale, those top-notch communication and persuasion skills you learned in school will come in handy—and help you work your way up to becoming a regional sales manager. In managing a sales team, your job responsibilities can include setting sales goals, analyzing data, and developing training programs. Check out this sample resume for a sales manager.

Median salary: The median salary for a regional sales manager is $78,445 per year and can reach $101,280.

Find sales manager jobs on Monster.

Software Developer

Put your creative mind to work as a software developer. A tech-oriented job, duties can include designing, testing, and developing software programs and recommending system upgrades based on users’ needs. Not to mention, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says this is a fast-growing occupation, with employment projected to increase by 24% in the coming years. Check out this sample resume for a software developer.

Median salary: The median salary for a software developer is $102,360 per year and can reach $127,670.

Find software developer jobs on Monster.

Technical Writer

Put those writing skills to use! Technical writers produce instructional manuals and other supporting documents to translate complex and technical information into words the everyday person can understand more easily. While this doesn’t involve much creativity, this job will require you to write clearly and concisely.

Median salary: The median salary for a technical writer is $33.10 per hour and can reach $43.

Find technical writer jobs on Monster.

Find More Jobs for English Majors

No matter what, strong writing, reading comprehension, and the ability to take complex topics and break them down for a general audience will always be prized skills in the workforce—and that's where you come in. Could use some help finding jobs that speak to your skill set? Make a Monster profile (free!) today. You can opt to be visible to recruiters, have custom job alerts sent to your inbox, and much more.