Highest-Paying Jobs for English Majors

Highest-Paying Jobs for English Majors

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Freelance Writer

Writers and authors proctor their skills for a decent annual salary in the U.S.  Freelancing is a unique sector of the marketplace, wherein one can contract their services for a price, serving a flexible amount of platforms with their words, ideas, contributions, and organizational skills.   Many freelance writers may start their own business, write 

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Freelance Writer

for magazines, work in the entertainment industry; some conduct their own research, and most of them work more than one job at a time.  Freelancing is one of the most common and lucrative careers for English majors.

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News Reporter

The salary benefits of this career for English majors rely heavily on location.  News reporters serving the public through television, newspapers, radio, and online resources will find better career trajectories in larger metropolitan areas.   A bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in journalism, broadcast communications, or a related

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News Reporter

field is an entry-level requirement for the budding reporter.  News reporters work in a variety of settings, as the fast-paced nature of the industry can require travel, research, investigation, and administrative work.  The top ten percent working in this field average an annual salary of around $71,000, according to Payscale.

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Announcer

This career is a perfect opportunity for English majors just entering the workforce with experience in college radio work, network internships, and courses in journalism and broadcasting.   English majors could apply distinct skills in communication and presentation to a position as an announcer or could contribute writing skills to 

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Announcer

effective scriptwriting in the field.  Announcers may also have academic backgrounds in public speaking, media relations, and more.  This is a competitive field, with an outlook of 1% through 2029, so earning a degree is a crucial element to success.

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Advertising Manager

As one of the highest paying careers for an English major, an advertising manager works in fast-paced environments overseeing employees, researching, planning, and executing projects.  Having a degree in English provides applicable skill development from time management to creative and critical thinking. Seeking 

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Advertising Manager

out a minor in marketing, economics, or graphic design can aid in working towards this career. With over five years in the field, advertising managers may see an average annual salary of over $67,000, and with ten years in the field, almost $80,000.

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Lawyer

Earning a master’s degree in English is an excellent start before law school. Graduate-level education prepares students for the incredible hours of reading, research, and writing accompanying this high paying career for English majors.  Lawyers work in fields from corporate law to criminal offense, populating law firms,

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Lawyer

the U.S. Department of Justice, and their own personal offices. Seeking out certificate programs in contract negotiation and acquisition is an exceptional career booster for aspiring lawyers. Working over five years in this field can result in an average annual salary of over $96,000, according to Payscale.

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Public Relations Manager

Public relations management is one of the best jobs for English majors as it focuses on composing press releases, working for audiences, communicating with and for clients, and developing organizational identity.  Maintaining a positive opinion of any company or organization takes rigorous communications, leadership, 

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Public Relations Manager

and vision. Starting with a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in public relations can expand applicable skills in research, time management, creative and critical thinking, and more. It takes several years in the field or of related experience to reach this title, so choosing a college program with internship and practicum experiences is ideal.

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Technical Writer

A bachelor’s degree in English is an excellent career starter for the aspiring technical writer. Proficiency in writing and editing software is required, along with the ever-marketable skills of research and communication.  Working in this field for a strong number of years could result in titles from senior technical manager to project manager

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Technical Writer

or proposal coordinator. With over five years of experience comes an average salary of over $65,000. Location is an essential factor of the technical writer’s salary. As of 2020 the best place to follow a high paying technical writing career is in Washington state, while Texas hosted a hiring median of 2.8% less than the national average.

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Writer & Author

Independence and artistry. Storytelling and communicating. Writers and authors are researchers as well as publishers, with qualities utilized in the fields of science, news media, government organizations, freelance, and more.  This is one of the highest-paying jobs for English majors as it is one of the most 

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Writer & Author

flexible in the definition. Writers and authors may also be illustrators, editors, and managers. Authors could start their career on a novel, win grants for nonprofits, compose speeches for politicians, the lists go on. The average salary for writers of over ten years can reach over $75,000, making this one of the most lucrative English major careers.

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High School Teacher

Few people have English major jobs that are as challenging and rewarding as the high school teacher. Preparing students for life after graduation, teachers build lesson plans, guide students in subject-specific curriculums, help them through college preparation, and more.  Careers in education follow strict state guidelines in licensing, certification and 

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High School Teacher

graduate studies, so researching this career path and planning out the academic pathway is crucial. Starting with a bachelor’s degree in English is a solid first step to becoming a high school teacher.

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Public Relations Specialist

Marketing, advertising, writing articles, managing projects. The public relations specialist can be the one to shape the public image of their company.  An English degree can boost the entry-level PR specialist with skills applicable to blog and social media writing, distinct knowledge in publicizing, promotion, communications, and more.

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Public Relations Specialist

Pairing a bachelor’s in English with a minor in public relations or communications is a direct route into one of the highest salaried careers for English majors.

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Librarian

Librarians help patrons with research, teach classes about information technologies, organize library materials, and more. These professionals can be found within and beyond the K-12 school system.  Museums, universities, public and private libraries require these literary scientists to keep track of and expand upon immense amounts of 

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Librarian

information. Earning a M.S. in library science will train aspiring librarians in developing and implementing library databases, digital resource tools, and collection development.

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Editor

This job hosts responsibilities beyond simply reviewing copy. An editor works to rewrite text, verify facts, evaluate submissions, and assign articles to writers of all types. In many cases, an editor will act as a manager for a writing team.  Editors can be found working in journalism, entertainment, literature, etc. Looking 

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Editor

forward, a senior editor’s average salary in the U.S. reaches over $69,600, and a management editing career averages at $63,289. Starting to write and build a professional network in college can make all the difference in editing, one of the highest paying careers for English majors.

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Paralegal

Paralegal work can be summed up by three English major skills: research, writing, expansive vocabulary. These professionals work alongside lawyers in offices, courtrooms, and legal departments performing advanced, life-affecting administrative work.  Experienced paralegals currently make an average of over $54,000 a year. This job 

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Paralegal

requires legal knowledge, precision, and organization to file, edit, write and work for a fast-paced law team, making it one of the best jobs for English majors interested in entering a legal profession.

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Interpreter & Translator

Developing fluency in another language through an English degree with a foreign language minor leads to a better grasp of language structure and effective communication skills.  Interpreters work with spoken language while translators work with written language. The average salary of this career can rise depending on the field. For example, a medical 

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Interpreter & Translator

interpreter currently makes almost $4,000 more than the average interpreter. Salary is also dependent upon location. Working in New York, NY pays 37.6% more than the national average, while working in Charlotte, NC pays 15.2% less.

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