What Can I Do With a Masters in English?

Common jobs for people with a Masters in English include editor, copywriter, technical writer and journalist. Jobs not directly related to English are also an option, such as marketing executive or PR specialist. The highest paying jobs after studying a Masters in English include technical writer (£38,672/$65,706 average yearly salary) and bid/proposal writer (£32,312/$79,035 average yearly salary).

When it comes to Masters degrees, you have your vocational degrees (like conversion courses) as well as your ‘academic degrees’. Nine times out of ten, a Masters in English will be the latter rather than the former. That doesn’t mean you have to get an academic job afterwards, but it does mean that job prospects are pretty broad.

I mean, take it from me. I did my undergrad in creative writing and I’ve gone through digital marketing, SEO and content writing so far. I’m thinking of going into world domination for my next career move, but I need to work on my soft skills first (plus the job market is nightmarish).

Assuming world domination isn’t your thing, though, this article should still have you covered. I’ll go over some common jobs for a Masters in English graduate, including salaries in both GBP and USD, and I’ll also mention some transferable skills to put on your CV. You won’t be required to write any literary criticism afterwards, but I won’t tell you how to live your life (not until the Device™ is complete).

Roles where a Masters in English is directly relevant

Editor

Average starting salary: £26,000 / $50,833

Example duties: edit content for errors, review submissions, rewrite content according to style and editorial policy.

Copywriter

Average starting salary: £20,000 / $54,891

Example duties: write content, research new content ideas, revise copy based on internal and client feedback.

Technical writer

Average starting salary: £25,000 / $61,890

Example duties: analyse complex information and process into other forms (user guides, manuals, etc.), coordinate with related roles (e.g., illustrators).

Journalist

Average starting salary: £24,000 / $36,986

Example duties: research, write and report on news, attend conferences, sub-edit other journalists' articles.

Proofreader

Average starting salary: £22,000 / $47,020

Example duties: correct mistakes before publishing, check for inconsistencies, highlight confusing words and suggest changes.

Roles where a Masters in English is indirectly relevant

English teacher

Average starting salary: £31,650 / $48,638

Example duties: plan lessons, teach, mark homework, communicate with students and parents.

Marketing executive

Average starting salary: £23,000 / $58,942

Example duties: contribute ideas to marketing campaigns, conduct research and analyse data, manage production of multimedia content.

Public relations specialist

Average starting salary: £22,000 / $65,603

Example duties: plan and deliver PR campaigns, monitor data relevant to client PR, write and edit press releases.

Bid/proposal writer

Average starting salary: £20,000 / $61,650

Example duties: collect data for bids, work with clients and planning teams, design, write and submit bids and proposals.

Private/personal tutor

Average starting salary: £33,535 / $51,571

Example duties: schedule and plan tutoring sessions, provide tuition appropriate to individual’s needs and study level, assess barriers to individual’s progress.

Author

Average starting salary: N/A

Example duties: write books, research, liaise with publishers.

Transferable skills from a Masters in English

To a certain extent, these will depend on the kind of programme you’re studying. An MRes in English will develop your research skills more than an MA in English, for example.

On top of that, there’s the traditional English language/English literature split. With a language focus, you’ll develop your skills and knowledge around the use of language, while an English literature focus will improve your textual analysis skills first and foremost.

Still, here are some transferable skills you’ll likely develop in most English Masters programmes:

• Critical thinking and reasoning
• Long-form essay writing
• Close reading abilities
• Presentation skills
• Attention to detail

Finally, if your programme focusses on a specific area of writing, that could be transferred to relevant careers. For example, if you studied 18^th century literature, you might find this especially useful within a period drama media production role.

What are my options for studying English?

Tips from the author

#1 Pitch the value of your programme when applying for jobs

If the job you’re applying for already has an English degree as a desired or required qualification, you might not have to be quite as thorough on this point. If it doesn’t, it’ll help a lot to show the kinds of transferable skills and knowledge you acquired by studying Shakespeare, for example. I’m sure a programme by any other name wouldn’t smell as sweet.

#2 Think outside the box

I’ve given you a good few jobs where a Masters in English would be useful, but it’s really not an exhaustive list. Bear in mind that almost every job in an English-speaking country will involve English language and communication, something English Masters specialise in. You can’t do literally everything, obviously, but you might be surprised where English Masters graduates end up. Apparently going into law isn’t uncommon, which makes some amount of sense (working with language probably helps you deal with the infamous legalese).

#3 If all you care about is salary and employment prospects, consider a different subject

That might sound harsh, but as I mentioned earlier, English Masters aren’t typically vocational degrees. If you’re studying one, you’re in it for the love of the game, so don’t expect it to give major benefits to your employability or salary. On average, Masters graduates in the UK are 12% more likely to be in full-time employment than undergrads, but English isn’t going to be contributing much to that percentage. Keep your expectations realistic.

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