What can you do with a B.A. in English? A lot, it turns out. The prestige of the degree may have diminished in the past four or five decades, but that means that the number of students enrolled in such programs has also decreased. As the world becomes more digital, it also becomes more written, which means that there is more demand for the handful of dedicated individuals who chose a degree based on passion instead of sheer financial potential. While a job in teaching, writing, and editing are still the mainstays for the former English major, the changing professional landscape has opened up room for new and novel careers that don’t involve those things – at least, not in a traditional sense. Here are our picks for the top four new jobs that you can get with your English degree:
Commerce Journalist
How Much You Make: $78,000
What You Do: Once, the goal of the journalist was the search for objective truth. However, times have changed and now the truth is never objective and always slanted towards one perspective or another. The commerce journalist is half ad writer and half journalist, and generally, tracks down deals or covers “sponsored content” for companies. Companies of all sizes are currently looking for writers. Best of all, most of the time, you can easily work from home, and often you can choose your own topic within some limitations.
Corporate Communications Director
How Much You Make: $128,000
What You Do: If you like being in the spotlight and having a job that you’re passionate about is just as important as the paycheck, then this may be the job for you. Your job is to manage internal communications, as well as external communications with everything from managing the Facebook page to communicating with the nightly news. Best yet, Humanities and English majors, are far more likely than average, to snag one of these cushy jobs.
Technical Writer
How Much You Make: $60,000
What You Do: Are you good at breaking down complex concepts into easily understood tidbits, but you don’t really want to be a teacher? Technical writing might be for you. Technical writers write instruction manuals, journal articles, and correspondence related to technical or complex concepts, normally regarding computer software, systems manuals, or aeronautics.
Search Engine Optimization Specialist
How Much You Make: $80,000
What You Do: Search engine optimization is the art of making search engines like you. And, it truly is an art; choosing the right strategy can boost a website’s spot in the rankings, and the wrong one can sink a business. The key is carefully crafted content, code, blogs, and social media campaigns. If you like a job that you can do independently, at home, and where the terrain shifts constantly, SEO might be the right field for you.
The skills you develop as an English major are now in demand. The ability to write clearly and think critically are becoming more and more crucial. English majors are in luck because these days, you can do nearly anything with a B.A in English.
If you are NSCS members looking for a career with your English degree, reach out to your NSCS chapter for more resources.