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English & Literature · English Rank #8 of 493

Englishat University of Maryland-College Park

Graduates earn $36,561/yr in their first year — about 20.0% above the national English average. Base-case 10-year earnings $560K; scenarios range from $507K to $570K depending on AI disruption.

College Park, MD Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
44 AVERAGE
45
Optimistic
37
Pessimistic
Earnings
$36,561
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$560K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
63% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Maryland-College Park

Your strong outcomes from UMD's English program reflect the university's robust academic reputation and its prime location. The Washington D.C. metropolitan area boasts a diverse labor market, from federal agencies and non-profits to burgeoning tech and media companies, all actively seeking graduates with exceptional communication, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills. This regional demand helps explain why UMD English majors find competitive roles in areas like content strategy, policy analysis, technical writing, or strategic communications, leveraging their nuanced understanding of language beyond traditional teaching or editing paths.

While AI's influence is certainly growing in roles like proofreading and basic content generation, your UMD degree equips you with the higher-order critical reasoning and persuasive communication that AI still struggles to replicate. To maximize your prospects, actively seek internships that apply your analytical and writing prowess in digital marketing, UX writing, or policy research, demonstrating your adaptability to evolving industry needs.

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
$507K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple11.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$560K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple12.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$570K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score45/100
Earnings Multiple12.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Maryland-College Park'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 University of Maryland-College Park 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 University of Maryland-College Park

Other top programs at University of Maryland-College Park

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Maryland-College Park, 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 University of Maryland-College Park

What does a 44/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for English at University of Maryland-College Park?

At 44/100, 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 Maryland-College Park?

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 Maryland-College Park one of the best schools for English?

Among 493 English programs, University of Maryland-College Park's #8 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.