by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 40,481 people earned their degree in English, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 3,951 English graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 411 colleges that offered a degree in English. To top this list, a school must have a successful English program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern New Hampshire University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s list. SNHU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has a large population, and it awarded 438 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Skysong. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s list. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this large public school handed out 115 diplomas to qualified masters’s English language students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 411 schools in the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco State University landed the #3 spot on the list. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 45 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 411 schools in the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, National University landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 43 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 41 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about English at California State University - Long Beach
East Carolina University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. East Carolina University is a large school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 38 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 37 diplomas to qualified masters’s English language students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on English at Ohio University - Athens Campus
California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 32 degrees to qualified masters’s English language students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. The Graduate Center, CUNY is a medium-sized school located in New York, New York that handed out 31 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Harvard University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 masters’s English language degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #11. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s English language degrees to 29 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Sacramento English Report
University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #12. UMass Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on English at University of Massachusetts - Boston
Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. ASU - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Yale University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Yale University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 26 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Middlebury College ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s list. Middlebury, Vermont is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s English language degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Miami University - Oxford did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #14. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 25 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on English at University of Virginia - Main Campus
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 masters’s English language degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Central Florida did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #17. University of Central Florida is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 25 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
California State University - Fullerton landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 25 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
With a ranking of #21, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s list. North Carolina State University is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 24 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #22. IUP is located in Indiana, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 masters’s English language degrees to qualified students.
Georgetown University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 23 diplomas to qualified masters’s English language students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Chapman University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Chapman University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Orange, California. It awarded 23 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Northwestern University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 23 masters’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Emporia State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language Major for a Master’s ranking. Emporia, Kansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s English language degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Not only did these schools make the top 55 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 57 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | Natchitoches, LA |
| 57 | Ball State University | Muncie, IN |
| 57 | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY |
| 57 | University of Toledo | Toledo, OH |
| 57 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville | Knoxville, TN |
| 57 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
