Best colleges for English Language and Literature
A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.
1,374 U.S. institutions graduated 31,764 English Language and Literature students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 23.0101, a specialization of English Language and Literature (CIP 23.01), and leads most directly to the Proofreaders and Copy Markers occupation (BLS SOC 43-9081).
About English Language and Literature programs
A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.
See also: 16.1701 - English as a Second Language.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The English Language and Literature program offers a comprehensive exploration of the English language, its history, structure, and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples. This program is designed for students who are passionate about reading, writing, and analyzing texts, providing a strong foundation in communication skills essential for various career paths.
Students in this program develop core skills such as reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and critical thinking. Coursework often includes studying the nuances of the English language, literature analysis, and effective communication strategies, preparing graduates for diverse professional opportunities.
Credentials awarded
What English Language and Literature graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree23,952 graduates / yr · 1,148 institutions75%
- Master's degree3,351 graduates / yr · 361 institutions11%
- Associate's degree2,709 graduates / yr · 225 institutions8.5%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship922 graduates / yr · 135 institutions2.9%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year689 graduates / yr · 20 institutions2.2%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate70 graduates / yr · 25 institutions0.2%
- Post-master's certificate38 graduates / yr · 4 institutions0.1%
- Doctor's degree - other31 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
- Award of less than 12 weeks1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
English Language and Literature completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 51,983 |
| 2013 | 50,988 |
| 2014 | 48,653 |
| 2015 | 45,646 |
| 2016 | 43,124 |
| 2017 | 41,616 |
| 2018 | 40,821 |
| 2019 | 40,222 |
| 2020 | 39,407 |
| 2021 | 38,243 |
| 2022 | 35,094 |
| 2023 | 33,324 |
| 2024 | 32,166 |
| 2025 | 31,764 |
Top 50 institutions for English Language and Literature, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field starting salary* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NHPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 511 | 43% | $34,565 | $30,733 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 425 | 0% | — | $33,615 |
| 3 | Manhattan School of Computer Technology Brooklyn, NYPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 380 | 70% | $11,180 | $19,417 |
| 4 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 370 | 78% | — | $30,425 |
| 5 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 301 | 86% | — | $29,534 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 279 | 93% | — | $27,889 |
| 7 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 261 | 69% | — | $22,933 |
| 8 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 242 | 93% | — | $27,462 |
| 9 | California State University - Northridge Northridge, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 197 | 57% | — | $27,452 |
| 10 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 192 | 68% | — | $33,615 |
| 11 | Cisco College Cisco, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 183 | 30% | — | — |
| 12 | Columbia University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 170 | 96% | $15,315 | $35,838 |
| 13 | Florida International University Miami, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 169 | 74% | — | $27,037 |
| 14 | Ohio State University Columbus, OHPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 160 | 88% | — | $29,605 |
| 15 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 158 | 91% | — | $26,917 |
| 16 | University of California-Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 150 | 86% | — | $25,477 |
| 17 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NYPublicBachelor's | 149 | 57% | — | $27,958 |
| 18 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 147 | 76% | — | $24,157 |
| 19 | University of South Florida Tampa, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 144 | 77% | — | $30,696 |
| 20 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 142 | 87% | — | $26,021 |
| 21 | University of North Texas Denton, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 142 | 61% | — | $32,892 |
| 22 | Texas State University San Marcos, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 138 | 55% | — | $32,482 |
| 23 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 137 | 56% | — | $32,531 |
| 24 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 137 | 51% | — | $24,187 |
| 25 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 135 | 70% | — | $23,783 |
| 26 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 131 | 89% | — | $34,739 |
| 27 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WIPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 130 | 90% | — | $28,526 |
| 28 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 129 | 83% | — | $24,099 |
| 29 | University of Virginia Charlottesville, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 129 | 96% | — | $40,092 |
| 30 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 128 | 91% | — | $30,060 |
| 31 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CAPublicBachelor's | 127 | 55% | — | $23,250 |
| 32 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 126 | 65% | — | $31,513 |
| 33 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 125 | 53% | — | $31,004 |
| 34 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 125 | 81% | $13,712 | $29,305 |
| 35 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 124 | 84% | — | $31,002 |
| 36 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 123 | 65% | — | $31,317 |
| 37 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 123 | 69% | — | $32,021 |
| 38 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 123 | 85% | — | $32,694 |
| 39 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 123 | 85% | — | $31,622 |
| 40 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CTPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 118 | 83% | — | $27,335 |
| 41 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 117 | 76% | — | $23,139 |
| 42 | Fordham University Bronx, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 117 | 82% | $38,931 | $26,652 |
| 43 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 116 | 84% | — | $26,310 |
| 44 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZPrivate for-profitBachelor's | 114 | 21% | $15,478 | $38,163 |
| 45 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 113 | 74% | — | $31,825 |
| 46 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TNPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 109 | 74% | — | $26,476 |
| 47 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 107 | 85% | — | $31,258 |
| 48 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 106 | 50% | — | $32,339 |
| 49 | Washington State University Pullman, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 106 | 60% | — | $28,876 |
| 50 | Illinois State University Normal, ILPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 105 | 65% | — | $39,563 |
* Field starting salary (1 yr): median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader English Language and Literature field (CIP 23.01) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 54 states & territories
Where English Language and Literature graduates come from. Each state links to all English Language and Literature programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 43-9081, Proofreaders and Copy Markers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the English Language and Literature program can pursue careers such as proofreaders and copy markers, with an annual opening of approximately 1,900 positions. The median wage for these roles is around $49,210, and a typical educational requirement is a Bachelor's degree. Job growth in this field is projected to experience little or no change.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 23.0101
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Proofreaders and Copy Markersprimary SOC 43-9081 | $51,120 | -0.6% Little or no change | ~1,900 | Bachelor's degree |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education SOC 25-2031 | $72,040 | -1.6% Decline | ~66,200 | Bachelor's degree |
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1123 | $78,760 | 0.0% Little or no change | ~5,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in English Language and Literature programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.
- Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.
- Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found.
- Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors.
- Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.
- Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition.
Tools and technology used
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Associate's degree, or a Doctor's degree in English Language and Literature.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and active learning.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as a proofreader, copy marker, secondary school teacher, or a postsecondary English teacher.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with around 1,900 annual openings and a median wage of $49,210.
What is the CIP code for English Language and Literature?+
English Language and Literature is CIP 23.0101 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within English Language and Literature (CIP 23.01). NCES defines it as: A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.
How many institutions offer English Language and Literature programs?+
1,374 U.S. institutions reported English Language and Literature graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 54 states & territories, awarding 31,764 credentials in the year. That is 100.0% of all English Language and Literature graduates.
How much do English Language and Literature graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Proofreaders and Copy Markers occupation, which English Language and Literature most directly leads to, pays a median of $51,120 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader English Language and Literature field report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $30,025, College Scorecard.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all English Language and Literature graduates, so its figures match the English Language and Literature program page.
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