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English & Literature · English Rank #113 of 493

Englishat University of California-Los Angeles

Graduates earn $27,889/yr in their first year — about 8.0% below the national English average. Base-case 10-year earnings $603K; scenarios range from $538K to $620K depending on AI disruption.

Los Angeles, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
35 AT RISK
35
Optimistic
31
Pessimistic
Earnings
$27,889
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$603K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at UCLA

While a UCLA English degree signals strong intellectual capabilities, the initial career paths often taken by graduates, such as education, publishing, or non-profit work, typically have more modest starting salaries, particularly within the competitive Los Angeles market. The program’s rigor in critical thinking, analytical skills, and advanced communication, however, often pays dividends in later career progression as you transition into leadership, specialized content roles in tech, or highly-valued positions in media and entertainment.

The noted AI risk primarily targets roles focused on repetitive textual tasks, like basic content generation or proofreading. Your human advantage lies in nuanced interpretation, creative storytelling, complex argumentation, and cultural understanding—skills UCLA hones. To maximize your prospects, actively seek internships that apply your communication strengths to fields like digital marketing, user experience writing, or policy analysis, building a portfolio that demonstrates practical application beyond pure academics.

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
$538K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score31/100
Earnings Multiple9.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$603K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple11.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$620K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple11.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UCLA'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 UCLA 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 UCLA

Other top programs at UCLA

Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, 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 UCLA

What does a 35/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for English at University of California-Los Angeles?

At 35/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring English programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Should I worry about AI if I study English at University of California-Los Angeles?

The 61% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is University of California-Los Angeles one of the best schools for English?

Among 493 English programs, University of California-Los Angeles's #113 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.