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Major · Education

A bachelor’s pipeline into ELA classrooms

English/Language Arts Teacher Education (CIP 13.1305) prepares teachers to deliver English grammar, composition, and literature instruction across grade levels. About 1,846 students complete it across 451 institutions, with bachelor’s grads earning $51,376 and the named target occupations projected to decline modestly.

Schools offering
451
Annual completions
1,846
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$50k

About this major

English/Language Arts Teacher Education (CIP 13.1305) is a bachelor’s-dominant major preparing teachers to deliver English grammar, composition, and literature instruction at middle-school, high-school, and (with additional credentials) elementary levels. Coursework pairs an English content-area concentration — literature surveys, composition theory and practice, rhetoric, linguistics, sometimes creative writing — with a pedagogy core including adolescent development, classroom management, literacy across the curriculum, English-specific instructional methods, assessment, special-education law, and supervised student teaching. Most accredited programs lead to state teacher licensure with an ELA endorsement at the middle-grades or secondary level.

The major fits students who love working with text and want to share that engagement with adolescent learners. It rewards strong reading and analytical-writing skills, comfort with public speaking and discussion-based instruction, and the patience to navigate state-licensure requirements (Praxis II, NASDTEC reciprocity, master’s renewal timelines). Day-to-day, graduates work in 6-12 classrooms teaching literature, composition, and language arts; some pair the credential with ESL/ELL or special-education co-endorsements to expand hiring leverage.

One grounded observation about scale and earnings: 1,846 students complete this CIP across 451 institutions, with bachelor’s grads at $51,376 and associate’s grads at $34,368 — a $17,000 gap that captures the licensure-required versus aide-track divide. The two named bachelor’s-target occupations both show negative projected growth: Secondary school teachers at $64,580 (-1.6%) and Middle school teachers at $62,970 (-2%). Public-school teacher salaries follow state-determined step-and-lane scales, and many states require a master’s within 5-10 years for full licensure renewal. Top producers — Eastern Michigan (40), Southern Nazarene (37), Cal State Fresno (35), Northern Arizona (34), Central Michigan (34) — span regional state universities with strong teacher-prep programs and Praxis II preparation.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $65k -1.6% Bachelor's degree
Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education $63k -2.0% Bachelor's degree
Education teachers, postsecondary $72k +2.1% Doctoral or professional degree
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary $78k 0.0% Doctoral or professional degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$50k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$34k

Bachelor's

$51k

Who this major is for

Good signs this major fits: you love working with text and want to share that engagement with adolescent learners, you have strong reading and analytical-writing skills, and you can navigate the state-licensure landscape (Praxis II preparation, NASDTEC reciprocity, master’s renewal timelines). Adding an ELL/ESL or special-education co-endorsement during or after the bachelor’s broadens hiring leverage in nearly every state. The bachelor’s pays $51,376 five years out, with state step-and-lane scales driving subsequent growth.

Reasons to pause: both named target occupations are projected to decline modestly (-1.6% to -2%), reflecting student-population trends in many regions. Public-school teacher pay grows slowly and is heavily geography-dependent — Northeast and West Coast states pay meaningfully more than Southern and rural states. Many states require a master’s within 5-10 years of initial licensure, so plan on graduate study as part of the cost. If you want flexibility across publishing, journalism, content writing, or graduate-school options, the broader English major (CIP 23.0101) keeps more doors open. If your interest is the literature side rather than classroom teaching specifically, a straight English bachelor’s plus post-baccalaureate certification is a defensible alternative path.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for English/Language Arts Teacher Education

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI 0 40 40
Southern Nazarene University Bethany, OK 0 37 37
California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA 0 35 35
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 0 34 34
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 0 34 34
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 0 31 31
University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL 0 29 29
Brigham Young University Provo, UT 0 28 28
University of South Florida Tampa, FL 0 28 28
Utah Valley University Orem, UT 0 28 28
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

English Language and Literature, General

26,983 completions/yr

Physical Education Teaching and Coaching

4,787 completions/yr

Secondary Education and Teaching

4,057 completions/yr

Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

3,430 completions/yr

Music Teacher Education

3,229 completions/yr

Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching

2,213 completions/yr

Social Studies Teacher Education

1,336 completions/yr

Mathematics Teacher Education

1,090 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What does this major actually cover?
Coursework pairs an English content-area concentration (literature surveys, composition, rhetoric, linguistics, sometimes creative writing) with the pedagogy core: adolescent development, classroom management, literacy across the curriculum, English methods, assessment, special-education law, and supervised student teaching. The CIP definition is short — preparation to teach English grammar, composition, and literature at various educational levels — but in practice programs lead to state licensure with an ELA endorsement at the secondary or middle-grades level.
Will I be licensed to teach when I graduate?
If the program is state-approved for teacher preparation in your state, yes — graduates sit Praxis II or state-equivalent licensure exams and apply for the ELA endorsement. Always verify state-by-state. NASDTEC reciprocity helps with interstate moves but specific subject endorsements transfer unevenly. Some states require additional coursework or testing for cross-state license transfer.
What jobs do graduates land — and at what pay?
The packet names four BLS occupations: Secondary school teachers, except special and CTE ($64,580, -1.6% growth, bachelor’s); Middle school teachers ($62,970, -2% growth, bachelor’s); Postsecondary education teachers ($72,090, doctoral required); and Postsecondary English teachers ($78,270, 0% growth, doctoral required). Real-world destinations include public-school ELA teacher (most common), private-school English teacher, ESL/ELL specialist with additional endorsement, and graduate study in education or English.
Are both target occupations really declining?
The named targets show negative projected growth: Secondary teachers at -1.6% and Middle school teachers at -2%. The decline reflects student-population trends in many regions and shifting district budgets — but ELA hiring is highly variable by geography and grade band. Urban and high-need districts often have ELA shortages; affluent suburban and low-population rural districts see oversupply. Add an ELL/ESL endorsement, special-education co-endorsement, or coaching credential to broaden hiring leverage.
How does this compare to a straight English major (CIP 23.0101)?
English Language and Literature, General (23.0101, 26,983 completions) is the much larger generalist English bachelor’s without teacher-prep content. Graduates can pursue post-baccalaureate teaching certification afterward, but the path adds 1-2 years. English/Language Arts Teacher Education (13.1305, 1,846 completions) bundles teacher-prep into the bachelor’s. If you’re committed to ELA classroom teaching, this CIP is more direct. If you want flexibility across publishing, journalism, content writing, or graduate-school options, the broader English major keeps more doors open.
Is the master’s required?
Many states (New York, Connecticut, Ohio, others) require a master’s within 5-10 years of initial licensure for full credential renewal. Most districts also offer salary-lane bumps for master’s completion that justify the cost on their own. Common master’s pathways include MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) with English specialization, MA in English with continuing-education credentials, or Reading Specialist certifications. Plan on a master’s as part of the long-term path.