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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for English Language & Literature (Income $0-$30k) in California

50 Ranked Colleges
4,441 Degrees Awarded
$7,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

English Language & Literature is the 16th most popular major in the country with 56,860 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, English language and literature graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $27,873 and had an average of $24,681 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 8,031 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,517 and $22,790 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,441 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 50 colleges that offered a degree in English language and literature. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality English language and literature programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the English language and literature program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank English Language & Literature Schools

The english language & literature school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for English Language & Literature (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 50 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $-1,387 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford University. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 86%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Stanford University

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 107 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $1,379 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Full Cal State LA English Language & Literature Report

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 295 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $8,392 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at UC Berkeley

#4

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 50 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 371 students in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,553 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCLA.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at University of California - Los Angeles

#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 122 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also took the #14 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,558 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC Irvine.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at University of California - Irvine

#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 262 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $6,364 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Long Beach English Language & Literature Report

With a ranking of #7, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 134 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $4,291 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at California State University - Fullerton

With a ranking of #8, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 95 degrees to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $3,264 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Fresno State English Language & Literature Report

#7 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - San Diego is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSD also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend UCSD is $9,280 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 94%.

Full University of California - San Diego English Language & Literature Report

#22 in overall quality

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 165 students in 2019-2020.

CSUN also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $5,945 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Full California State University - Northridge English Language & Literature Report

#9 in overall quality

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 199 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Davis has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,842 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at University of California - Davis

#12

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#20 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 229 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

UCR also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $8,366 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCR English Language & Literature Report

California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Stan State is a public institution located in Turlock, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,410 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Stanislaus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at California State University - Stanislaus

With a ranking of #14, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. CSUB is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 61 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $3,423 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at California State University - Bakersfield

#15

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#11 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 200 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $10,316 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCSB English Language & Literature Report

#16

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

With a ranking of #16, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 109 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $8,870 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at SDSU

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $12,475 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo English Language & Literature Report

#24 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 128 degrees to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k list, Sac State has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $6,819 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Sac State

#19

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school awarded 133 degrees to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUSB is $5,077 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at CSUSB

With a ranking of #20, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. CSUSM is a fairly large public school situated in San Marcos, California. It awarded 89 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $9,517 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at CSUSM

#21

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#23 in overall quality

San Francisco State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 172 students in 2019-2020.

SFSU also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $11,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at San Francisco State University

#22

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#17 in overall quality

San Jose State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Jose State University is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 89 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $10,940 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at San Jose State

#23

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

University of Southern California landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 68 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $14,668 for california bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at USC

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 75 degrees to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,596 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Poly Pomona.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Cal Poly Pomona

California State University - East Bay landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,036 for California Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State East Bay.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Cal State East Bay

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Mike Hazard.

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