2026 Best Value General Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[General Literature](/majors/english-language-literature/literature/general-literature/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 84 schools to find the best return on investment for general literature students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value General Literature Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general literature degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Literature Schools
Boise State University earned the #1 spot for value among general literature schools in the United States. Set in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,048, while out-of-state students pay about $27,788. Students borrow a median of $24,311 to complete the general literature program here. Early-career general literature graduates make about $49,059. Set against $24,311 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
A rank of #2 makes Sewanee The University Of The South one of the best values for general literature. Set in the rural area of Sewanee, Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,120. Typical student debt for general literature graduates is $22,091. Early-career general literature graduates make about $36,927. Set against $22,091 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Miami University Oxford one of the best values for general literature. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $17,519 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. Typical student debt for general literature graduates is $24,177. General Literature graduates of Miami University Oxford earn a median of $49,700 early in their careers. Set against $24,177 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Miami University Oxford admits about 75% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Hamilton College one of the best values for general literature. Set in the suburb of Clinton, Hamilton College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,960. General Literature graduates carry a median of $16,131 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general literature degree recipients from Hamilton College generally make around $48,806. Set against $16,131 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general literature will find it at Bennington College, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Bennington, Bennington College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,262. General Literature graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general literature degree recipients from Bennington College generally make around $18,152. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
American University earned the #6 position for value in general literature this year. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,771. Students borrow a median of $26,105 to complete the general literature program here. Soon after graduation, general literature degree recipients from American University generally make around $23,164. Set against $26,105 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.
The New School landed the #7 spot for general literature value this year. Located in the city of New York, The New School is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,730. Typical student debt for general literature graduates is $23,750. Early-career general literature graduates make about $25,618. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Other General Literature Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value General Literature rankings across degree levels:
View All General Literature Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 84 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
