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English & Literature · English Rank #397 of 493

Englishat New York University

Graduates earn $29,967/yr in their first year — about 2.0% below the national English average. Base-case 10-year earnings $623K; scenarios range from $551K to $643K depending on AI disruption.

New York, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
23 AT RISK
23
Optimistic
17
Pessimistic
Earnings
$29,967
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$623K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at New York University

Studying English at NYU places you in a vibrant intellectual hub within one of the world's media and publishing capitals. While the university's overall prestige is undeniable, the financial outcomes for this specific humanities major reflect broader industry trends, particularly in a high-cost-of-living city like New York. Many graduates leverage their critical thinking and advanced communication skills into careers in teaching, publishing, journalism, or the arts, which often have different salary trajectories than fields like finance or tech. The noted AI risk is a significant consideration, highlighting the evolving landscape for content creation and editing roles. To maximize your prospects, actively seek internships and build a portfolio of work demonstrating your adaptability and practical application of skills beyond traditional literary analysis.

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
$551K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score17/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$623K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score23/100
Earnings Multiple2.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$643K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score23/100
Earnings Multiple2.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to New York University'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 New York University 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
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
33
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.1x
ROI
Also at New York University

Other top programs at New York University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at New York University, 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 New York University

How does New York University's English program score?

This program scores 23/100 — on the lower end for English. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is English to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' English careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 61% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.