by our College Data Analytics TeamHamlet, War and Peace, The Great Gatsby, Ulysses, The Grapes of Wrath: these novels have made an impact on societies for decades. Majoring in Literature will allow you to read and analyze these great works while learning about the culture and history of the time they were written.
A major in Literature involves the study of cultures, traditions, history, and genres of influential literature. Some of the concentrations you could choose are American Literature, Canadian Literature, British Literature, and Children's Literature. While all these concentrations focus on different time periods or subjects, there are some courses in common. All students will take literary criticisms, author studies, period and genre studies, and regional and oral traditions.
Literature was the 264th most popular major in the 2021-2022 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 769 degrees in this year alone. This year's Best Literature Schools ranking compares 13 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of literature programs later in this article.
This major involves a lot of reading and is ideal for the student who doesn't mind days on end in the library. Attention for detail is critical as you analyze and make connections between different works. Class discussion is another key component of this major, making strong communication skills essential. Work on being able to express your ideas and insights clearly through both written and oral communication.
Creativity and independent thought will serve you well as you pursue this major. There will be some group projects but the majority of assignments will be individual work. By the end of your years of study you will become familiar with writing long and detailed research papers. Some students further their education to obtain a Master of Literature.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic literature program qualifications, to serve in some literature careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different literature degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in literature to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common literature degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to literature, with approximately 42.2% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for literature workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 36.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 26.1% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 10.4% |
| High School Diploma | 5.0% |
Most workers in literature have at least a associate degree. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in literature have received.
The education level required is different depending on the literature career you are seeking.
Many students who study literature are interested in education and go on to become a secondary or postsecondary teacher, or a college professor. Some grads are also interested in becoming a Librarian, Library Assistant is possible or Archivist. Becoming a teacher or a librarian requires a Master's Degree, while teaching at the college level usually requires a Ph.D.
If you enjoy writing, becoming a journalist or writer is another option. Graduates can also successfully find jobs in the business world in marketing, advertising, public relations or copy writing.
Want a job when you graduate with your literature degree? Literature careers are expected to grow 4.8% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to literature.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Writers and Authors | 141,200 | 7.6% |
| Editors | 125,600 | -1.4% |
| English Language and Literature Professors | 92,900 | 9.8% |
Recently graduated literature students earned an average of $23,767 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $18,152 to as high as $30,253. As you might expect, salaries for literature graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for literature graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers literature grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| English Language and Literature Professors | $78,150 |
| Writers and Authors | $73,090 |
| Editors | $69,480 |
With over 172 different literature degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased literature school rankings to help you with this.
One of 9 majors within the English Language & Literature area of study, Literature has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Literature | 417 |
| English Literature (British & Commonwealth) | 225 |
| Children’s & Adolescent Literature | 58 |
| American Literature (United States) | 43 |
| Other Literature | 26 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General English Literature | 37,414 |
| Writing Studies | 13,544 |
| English Literature (Other) | 977 |
