by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Textual Studies involves the study of A Program That Focuses On The Interconnected Histories Of Digital Or Print Texts And Manuscripts For Cultural And Literary Study. Includes Instruction In Archiving Texts, Bibliography, Book And Literary History, Cultural Studies, Codicology, Paleography, Stemmatology, And Textual Criticism. Read on to learn the key facts every textual studies student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering textual studies programs.
Our 2026 Best Textual Studies Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for textual studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of textual studies programs later in this article.
Coursework for Textual Studies build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations textual studies graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a textual studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a textual studies major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to textual studies tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 41.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 28.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 14.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.9% |
| Some college courses | 1.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in textual studies careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in textual studies opens doors to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to textual studies.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to textual studies.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Curators | 1,554,871 | 4.1% |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,273,615 | 14.3% |
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
Salaries for textual studies graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers textual studies grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $88,437 |
| Curators | $79,764 |
With 1 different textual studies programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased textual studies school rankings to help you.
Students interested in textual studies, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Digital Humanities | 126 |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, Other | 2 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
