2026 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in West Virginia
[English Language & Literature](/majors/english-language-literature/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for english language & literature students.
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2026 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in West Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in english language & literature, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value English Language & Literature Schools
Leading the list is Marshall University, our #1 best value for english language & literature in West Virginia. Set in the city of Huntington, Marshall University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,162, with out-of-state students paying around $20,342. English Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career english language & literature graduates make about $30,195. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Fairmont State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value english language & literature schools. Fairmont State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Fairmont. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,708, while out-of-state students pay about $18,924. English Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $26,447 in student loans. English Language & Literature graduates of Fairmont State University earn a median of $45,920 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,447 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at American Public University System earned it the #3 place for english language & literature. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Public University System is a very large private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,400. Typical student debt for english language & literature graduates is $35,094. Early-career english language & literature graduates make about $37,602. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in english language & literature will find it at Shepherd University, which ranked #4. Set in the rural area of Shepherdstown, Shepherd University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,056, compared with $19,082 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for english language & literature graduates is $19,661. English Language & Literature graduates of Shepherd University earn a median of $27,186 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Shepherd University admits about 97% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at West Virginia University earned it the #5 place for english language & literature. West Virginia University is a very large public school located in the city of Morgantown. Students from in state pay about $10,104 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,608 for out-of-state students. English Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $21,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, english language & literature degree recipients from West Virginia University generally make around $23,182. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
