My fellow English majors, you know what I mean by this question. It seems that no matter what college you go to, even if it’s centered around the Liberal Arts, English seems to be the major that everyone can agree “won’t pay well” or “won’t get employers to hire you”.

And that’s where I step in and politely tell them that English holds a variety of fields that centers around a multitude of broader fields. A path in creative writing that can lead into a job in publications. A major in professional writing that could help with a graduate path into pre-law. A study in literature/language that could lead for a senior thesis paper in studying abroad.

These and many more are what’s offered in the English field and can help build up to bigger career paths in a multitude of studies.

But “will it pay well”? Sure, English may not give us the highest paying salary but we wouldn’t be in this major if we didn’t already know that. We decided to become English majors for the simple love of the subject that grew into a passion.

It’s a question we’re used to now and one we know how to answer. But as they say, don’t judge a person by their major.