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English & Literature · English Rank #140 of 493

Englishat Boston College

Graduates earn $41,878/yr in their first year — about 38.0% above the national English average. Base-case 10-year earnings $624K; scenarios range from $552K to $645K depending on AI disruption.

Chestnut Hill, MA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
34 AT RISK
35
Optimistic
26
Pessimistic
Earnings
$41,878
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$624K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Boston College

Given Boston College's selective nature and strong liberal arts tradition, your English degree signifies exceptional critical thinking and communication abilities. This intellectual rigor is highly valued, helping graduates navigate Boston's diverse job market—from publishing houses and tech firms seeking content specialists to law schools and non-profits—explaining the strong post-graduation outcomes. The university's robust alumni network also provides invaluable career support. While the "Very High" AI risk for traditional English roles is a real consideration, it underscores the need to strategically adapt. Your BC education provides a powerful foundation; augment it by actively pursuing internships or coursework that translate your analytical and writing prowess into practical skills for emerging industries, such as UX writing, data storytelling, or digital marketing, ensuring your adaptability in an evolving landscape.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$552K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score26/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$624K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score34/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$645K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple2.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Boston College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where English graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
0.0% 10-yr growth · 5,100 openings/yr
$78,270/yr
High
2
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
3
Proofreaders and copy markers
-0.6% 10-yr growth · 1,900 openings/yr
$49,210/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering English

How Boston College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
43
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
2.0x
ROI
Top score
University of Houston-Clear Lake
TX · Public
56
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
17.4x
ROI
Monmouth University
NJ · Private nonprofit
37
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
2.2x
ROI
Brown University
RI · Private nonprofit
33
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.0x
ROI
Same state (MA)
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
33
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.1x
ROI
Also at Boston College

Other top programs at Boston College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Boston College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in English offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare English trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about English at Boston College

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for English at Boston College?

A score of 34/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for English. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace English careers?

With 61% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $552,198 in decade earnings vs $644,596 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.