I wouldn’t argue for the direct utility of an English major (and the lack of direct utility may be its strength), but I have repeatedly heard from college advisors and from my students that nothing else requires so much reading and writing. More than a few who hope to be English majors drop that expectation when faced with the amount of reading and writing required. They move on to psychology, communication, legal studies, easier majors.
Of course some schools, departments, and professors do not expect much (PurpleTitan’s uneven rigor), but a good English major is a rigorous degree.