Literature degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in literature earn a median $45,749 four years after finishing, across 7 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in english language and literature earn $50,762, $11,287 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is elementary and middle school teachers (5%).
Median across 7 colleges; middle half $45,749–$49,153.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $32,488–$75,765. 8,911 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "English Language And Literature"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$15,124/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs literature graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in english language and literature actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 5% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 3% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Writers And Authors | 3% | $76,910 | -0.3% | Bachelor's degree | AE |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Marketing Managers | 2% | $166,790 | +6.9% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
These 8 jobs account for 24% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Literature earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | — | $47,730 (117) |
| California | — | $62,946 (1,285) |
| Colorado | — | $50,375 (226) |
| Connecticut | — | $53,696 (143) |
| Florida | — | $47,659 (390) |
| Georgia | — | $48,923 (234) |
| Illinois | — | $53,625 (359) |
| Indiana | — | $46,364 (134) |
| Kentucky | — | $38,580 (100) |
| Maryland | — | $59,662 (215) |
| Massachusetts | — | $61,450 (313) |
| Michigan | — | $46,177 (230) |
| Minnesota | — | $52,473 (137) |
| Missouri | — | $52,503 (136) |
| New Jersey | — | $61,101 (331) |
| New York | $49,153 (3) | $63,242 (974) |
| North Carolina | — | $40,610 (250) |
| Ohio | — | $43,347 (233) |
| Oregon | — | $43,993 (182) |
| Pennsylvania | $45,749 (3) | $43,571 (342) |
| Tennessee | — | $45,686 (178) |
| Texas | — | $51,391 (566) |
| Utah | — | $48,881 (131) |
| Virginia | — | $55,839 (309) |
| Washington | — | $58,657 (234) |
| Wisconsin | — | $53,523 (132) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Related degrees
Literature degree questions
How much do Literature graduates make?
Literature graduates earn a median $45,749 four years after finishing, across 7 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $45,749 to $49,153; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in english language and literature, the median is $50,762 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Literature degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in english language and literature earn a median $50,762: $11,287 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $15,124 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Literature graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in english language and literature, the most common jobs are elementary and middle school teachers (5%), other managers (3%), secondary school teachers (3%). Elementary And Middle School Teachers earn a U.S. median $64,170.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Literature degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/literature.