Englishat William & Mary
Graduates earn $40,697/yr in their first year — about 34.0% above the national English average. Base-case 10-year earnings $536K; scenarios range from $491K to $543K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at William & Mary
The strong outcomes for William & Mary English graduates reflect the program's unique blend of rigorous liberal arts education and the university's esteemed reputation, often called a 'Public Ivy.' This prestige opens doors, especially within the competitive Mid-Atlantic region, including robust pipelines into government, consulting, and high-level communications roles in DC and Virginia. Your W&M degree signals exceptional critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and sophisticated communication skills, qualities highly valued by employers far beyond traditional literary fields. While some foundational literacy tasks face AI disruption, this program's emphasis on complex analysis and nuanced human communication equips you for leadership and strategic roles where human insight remains paramount. Actively leverage the powerful alumni network and pursue internships that translate your analytical prowess into practical professional experience.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to William & Mary's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering English
How William & Mary stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at William & Mary
Other highest-scoring programs offered at William & Mary, 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 →Frequently asked about English at William & Mary
How does William & Mary's English program score?
This program scores 38/100 — 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.
Why does William & Mary rank so high for English?
The #59 ranking out of 493 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.