by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 6 U.S. colleges awarded 74 degrees and certificates in Children’s & Adolescent Literature. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 92% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $24,997 one year after completing, rising to $49,754 after four years.
Studying Children's & Adolescent Literature explores Children's And Adolescent Literature. A Program That Focuses On The Scholarly Study Of Children's And Adolescent Literature And That May Enhance The Professional Work Of Teachers, Librarians, Publishers, Booksellers, And Creative Writers. Includes Instruction In Period And Genre Studies, Author Studies, Literary Criticism, Studies Of Various Types Of Literary Text, Book Artists, And Children's Films. Examples: [Literature For Children And Young Adults].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, children’s & adolescent literature draws strong interest, with 74 degrees awarded annually. 6 colleges award children’s & adolescent literature degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 43.
By level, the 74 awards include 6 bachelor’s degrees and 68 master’s degrees.
Women earned 86% of children’s & adolescent literature degrees and certificates in the latest year (64 of 74). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (55) and Hispanic or Latino (9), and international students earned 1.
The most common children’s & adolescent literature credential is the master’s degree: 68 of the 74 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to children’s & adolescent literature call most for Reading Comprehension, Writing and Instructing, and for knowledge of English Language, Communications and Media and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a children’s & adolescent literature degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 6 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 68 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to children’s & adolescent literature, at 44.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 44.9% |
| Master’s degree | 24.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 9.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 8.9% |
| Some college courses | 7.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.0% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Children’s & Adolescent Literature, with an average median salary of $80,649; the strongest outlook belongs to English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, at 14.3% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Literature Professor, Developmental Reading Instructor, English Adjunct Instructor and Reading Instructor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to children’s & adolescent literature, at 1,273,615.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,273,615 | 14.3% |
| Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | 175,767 | 9.1% |
| Writers and Authors | 155,629 | -4.3% |
| Editors | 11,763 | 3.2% |
Children’s & Adolescent Literature graduates earn a median $24,997 one year after completing their program, $49,754 after four years and $49,276 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $24,997 |
| 4 years | $49,754 |
| 5 years | $49,276 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to children’s & adolescent literature is Editors, with a median salary of $100,346.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Editors | $100,346 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $88,437 |
| Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | $70,619 |
| Writers and Authors | $63,195 |
Children’s & Adolescent Literature has 4 similar majors in the English Language & Literature field, which together award 760 degrees a year; the largest are General Literature (469), English Literature (British and Commonwealth) (250) and American Literature (United States) (21). Browse all English Language & Literature majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Literature | 469 |
| English Literature (British and Commonwealth) | 250 |
| American Literature (United States) | 21 |
| Literature, Other | 20 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.