English Majors: Facts and Figures

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Writing

English majors are in high demand because so many of their peers do not write well. Only 24% of 8th and 12th grade students are proficient in writing: of those, 20% are below basic, 54% are basic, and only 3% are advanced (National Assessment of Education Statistics, 2012). Most students rank text messaging as the most valuable form of writing overall (Michigan State University, Writing in Digital Environments, 2010), but employers disagree. According to Bram Lowsky, executive vice president of Right Management, "because everything is shorthand and text, the ability to communicate effectively is challenged." Sue Shellenbarger adds, "Many [managers] attribute slipping skills to the informality of email, texting, and Twitter where slang and shortcuts are common. Such looseness with language can create bad impressions with clients, ruin marketing materials and cause communications errors" (The Wall Street Journal). The nation’s top companies currently spend more than $3.1 billion a year on remedial writing training, and states spend $221 million annually on writing training (National Commission on Writing). Given all of this, effective writing skills are highly sought after:

  • 97% of business executives rate writing skills as very important (Metlife).
  • In a survey of 120 employers across a range of professions, the #1 hiring criteria was strong writing skills, the #1 threshold skill was writing, the #1 cost to businesses was providing training for employees who do not write well, and the #1 characteristic of employees who are promoted is strong communication skills (National Commission on Writing, “Writing ... a Ticket to Work or a Ticket Out,” September 2004).
  • Companies want employees who can (1) work in teams, (2) lead, and (3) write well (National Association of Colleges and Employers).
  • 86% of corporate recruiters say writing is the highest priority for employers (Graduate Management Admission Council, 2011).
  • More than 2/3 of salaried jobs require a significant amount of writing (Grammarly).
  • Great writing sets job candidates apart, especially if they are adept at writing for the Web and social media (Forbes).
  • Writing also relates to reading. Poor writing often means poor reading. 70% of US 8th graders scored below the proficient level on a recent reading exam, and only 30% of those students reported reading daily (NAEP). English majors, however, read all the time with a high level of proficiency.

Employment and Earnings

  • Employment statistics for English majors differ little from other fields. Immediately after graduation, English majors report 9.8% unemployment, compared to 8.8% in psychology and social work, 9.1% in computer science and math, 10.4% in economics, and 11.1% in political science. Over time, however, employers tend to prefer liberal arts grads (“The Best Argument for Studying English? The Employment Numbers,” The Atlantic, June 2013).
  • Over time, English majors have about the same average earnings as Communications majors, and business majors have only slightly higher earnings (ADE-ADFL, Hamilton Project of the Brookings Group, The Economic Value of College Majors, Payscale Inc.).

Connecting with People

English majors read extensively, and it turns out fiction reading relates to empathy and, in turn, the ability to connect meaningfully to others. Business leaders also recognize that empathy improves interpersonal understanding and enhances relationships with clients and colleagues.

  • Neuroscience research shows reading improves brain function, especially empathy, imagination, and visualization; reading also enhances cognition and overall mental health (Brain Connectivity).
  • New School for Social Research psychologists found that fiction enhances social perception, improves emotional intelligence, and makes us more empathetic (Science).
  • A University of Toronto study found that fiction readers have higher levels of empathy.
  • Keith Oatley observes that fiction helps us “understand characters’ actions from their interior point of view, by entering into their situations and minds, rather than the more exterior view of them that we usually have."

Employer Perspectives

  • According to David Skorton, “Even the most profound scientific knowledge won’t solve world problems such as hunger, poverty and environmental damage if we fail to respect, understand and engage cultural differences” (Scientific American).
  • According to Bracken Darrell, CEO of Logitech, “When I look at where our business is going, I think, boy, you do need to have a good technical understanding somewhere in there, to be relevant. But you’re really differentiated if you understand humanities.”
  • In “I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar” (Harvard Business Review), Kyle Wiens explains he will pass over candidates with poor grammar “even if they are otherwise qualified for the position.” He adds, “grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn’t make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet … Good grammar makes good business sense”
  • According to small-business expert Steve Strauss, “English majors are my employee of choice.”
  • According to Dr. Jane Robbins of the University of Arizona, “There is a pattern of employers asking for more liberal-arts training for all kinds of professions—engineering, medicine, the law, and certainly management … Many people may not know that philosophy and English, not just biology, are common undergraduate majors for physicians.”