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. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
English Language & Literature is the 18th most popular major in the country with 54,635 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, English language and literature graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,352 and had an average of $23,972 in loans still to pay off.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 7,909 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 532 colleges that offered a degree in English language and literature. To top this list, a school must have a successful English language and literature program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s”.
Out of the 532 schools in the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern New Hampshire University landed the #1 spot on the list. Southern New Hampshire University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has a large population, and it awarded 539 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Full Sail University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s. Full Sail University is a private for-profit institution located in Winter Park, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 130 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Full Sail University English Language & Literature Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s. Columbia is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 118 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad 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 full report on English Language & Literature at Columbia University in the City of New York
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Skysong. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. Arizona State University - Skysong is a public institution located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 115 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about English Language & Literature at Arizona State University - Skysong
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New York University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s. NYU is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 96 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full New York University English Language & Literature Report
Lindenwood University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s English language and literature degrees to 88 students 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%.
Full Lindenwood University English Language & Literature Report
Vermont College of Fine Arts did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. Montpelier, Vermont is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s English language and literature degrees to 88 students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #8, The New School did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s English language and literature degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about English Language & Literature at New School University
Emerson College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. Emerson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 75 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #10. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s English language and literature degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about English Language & Literature at Johns Hopkins University
National University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 68 masters’s English language and literature degrees 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%.
Read more about English Language & Literature at National University
San Francisco State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 67 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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 San Francisco State University
With a ranking of #13, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. NAU is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 65 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Northern Arizona University
Liberty University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Lynchburg, Virginia. It awarded 64 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on English Language & Literature at Liberty University
With a ranking of #15, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 masters’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Iowa English Language & Literature Report
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #16. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 51 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about English Language & Literature at California State University - Long Beach
North Carolina State University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 51 degrees to qualified masters’s English language and literature students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.
Read more about English Language & Literature at North Carolina State University
Texas State University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in San Marcos, Texas, and it awarded 50 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about English Language & Literature at Texas State
Chapman University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. Chapman is located in Orange, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 masters’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.
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%. 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 more about English Language & Literature at Chapman University
Harvard University ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s English language and literature degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.
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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
George Mason University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Fairfax, Virginia, and it awarded 46 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, 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 86%.
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 45 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Oxford ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s list. Located in Oxford, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 42 degrees to qualified masters’s English language and literature students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on English Language & Literature at Miami University - Oxford
University of Denver came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Denver, Colorado, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified masters’s English language and literature students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of New Orleans did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #24. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this medium-sized public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified masters’s English language and literature students in 2020-2021.
San Diego State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended English Language & Literature Major for a Master’s ranking. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 41 masters’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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.
Not only did these schools make the top 49 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Pacific University | Forest Grove, OR |
| 51 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX |
| 51 | Boston University | Boston, MA |
| 54 | University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA |
| 54 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI |
| 54 | California State University - Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
| 57 | Old Dominion University | Norfolk, VA |
| 57 | Brigham Young University - Provo | Provo, UT |
| 57 | University of Southern Maine | Portland, ME |
| 60 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX |
| 60 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY |
| 60 | Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield, MO |
| 63 | Simmons University | Boston, MA |
| 63 | Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT |
| 63 | Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 63 | Yale University | New Haven, CT |
| 63 | University of New Hampshire - Main Campus | Durham, NH |
| 63 | The City College of New York | New York, NY |
| 63 | Warren Wilson College | Swannanoa, NC |
| 70 | University of California - Irvine | Irvine, CA |
| 70 | Antioch University - Los Angeles | Culver City, CA |
| 70 | California State University - Fullerton | Fullerton, CA |
| 70 | Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus | Madison, NJ |
| 70 | Arcadia University | Glenside, PA |
| 70 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA |
| 76 | DePaul University | Chicago, IL |
| 76 | The University of Montana | Missoula, MT |
| 76 | Fairfield University | Fairfield, CT |
| 76 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | West Chester, PA |
| 76 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
