What can I do with an English degree from Mount Mercy College?

Mount Mercy English majors can be found working in almost every field. Many enjoy jobs in “traditional” fields for English majors -- writing, editing, publishing, teaching, law, and public relations. Yet English majors have also successfully pursued careers beyond “traditional” choices. According to Shelly Schwartz, staff writer for CNN Financial News, “The verbal and written communication skills that English majors possess remain in top demand at nearly every company in America.”

Most of the “needed skills” that the Iowa Job Outlook Report cites are skills that English majors consistently practice and polish: “speaking, information gathering, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, information organization, writing, active learning, and idea evaluation.”

Starting salaries for Mount Mercy English majors range from $15,000 to $45,000*. Our English alumnae report a range of job titles -- many in positions of leadership:

  • News Reporter
  • Account Representative
  • Director of Human Resources
  • Executive Director of Brucemore Historical Site
  • Editor
  • Writer
  • News Producer
  • Librarian
  • Director of Annual Support
  • Juvenile Court Liaison
  • Attorney
  • Sales Communication Manager
  • Director of Planned Giving
  • Market Research Writer
  • Counselor
  • Grants Development Officer
  • Mortgage Originator
  • Director of Religious Education
  • High School Teacher
  • College Teacher
  • Senior Benefit Specialist
  • Project manager
  • Account manager
  • Director of Volunteerism and Service Learning

An undergraduate degree in English also serves as excellent preparation for graduate study. Recent Mount Mercy English majors have been accepted for graduate study in such fields as law, communication studies, counseling, education, theatre, chemistry, library science, creative writing, history, and (of course) English.

*Salaries are ranges reported by 2002 Mount Mercy College graduates.

What classes should I take to enter the program?
What will it take to graduate?
Four-Year Plan for English
How will I gain experience?
What can I do with an English degree from Mount Mercy College?
Who can I talk to?