Career comparison
English Professor vs. Philosophy and Religion Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Philosophy and religion professors earn more at the median ($80,260 vs. $78,760), while english professors usually get to work faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s of training). English professors teach college students to read closely and write well. Philosophy and religion professors teach students to reason clearly about ethics, knowledge and belief.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| English Professor | Philosophy and Religion Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $78,760 | $80,260 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $48,270 – $137,250 | $49,140 – $139,580 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | 0.0% (little or no change) | +2.0% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 4,500 | 1,800 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in English | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, offices and libraries.. | Faculty work in classrooms, offices and libraries.. |
What each job does
English Professor
- Teach composition and literature
- Give feedback on student writing
- Research and publish
- Mentor students
- Advise literary magazines
Philosophy and Religion Professor
- Teach philosophy or religion courses
- Lead discussions
- Teach applied ethics
- Research and publish
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work, working independently, desk work, and working with people. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose english professor if…
- I love books
- I love writing
- I give careful feedback
Choose philosophy and religion professor if…
- I love big questions
- I enjoy arguments
- I respect many views
Still torn? Take the English Professor fit quiz and the Philosophy and Religion Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, english professor or philosophy and religion professor?
Philosophy and Religion Professors earn more at the median: $80,260 versus $78,760 for english professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
English Professors typically train faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s) than philosophy and religion professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects philosophy and religion professors to grow +2.0% from 2025–35, compared with 0.0% for english professors.