Many, if not most, English majors go on to careers outside the classroom. Some of those careers may be associated with education in other ways, and many may be apparently completely different: law, medicine, journalism, editing, not-for-profit, business, and more.
An English degree not only familiarizes you with Shakespeare, Woolf, Morrison, Tolstoy, Chaucer, Whitman, and other great authors, genres, and critical theories; the study of literature and creative writing also develops valuable skills such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, written and oral communication, research methods, and attention to detail.
More on the importance of these skills in the marketplace:
Matt Asay, “Why Every Tech Company Needs an English Major”
Vivian Giang, “Logitech CEO: ‘I Love Hiring English Majors’”
Bruna Martinuzzi, “Why English Majors Are the Hot New Hires”