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2025 Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools

471 Colleges in the United States
36,642 Bachelor's Degrees
$30,153 Avg Early-Career Salary
a bachelor's degree in english language & literature is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #15 out of 38 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 471 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of english language & literature. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 36,642 bachelor's degrees in english language & literature during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great English Language & Literature School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools The english language & literature bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for english language & literature students working on their bachelor's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More English Language & Literature Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools list to help you make the college 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.

Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study English Language & Literature in the United States

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in english language & literature. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools for a Bachelor's in English Language & Literature

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
287 Annual Graduates

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in english language & literature. Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
264 Annual Graduates

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in english language & literature. Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

3
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
89 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Boston College if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in english language & literature. Boston College is a large private not-for-profit college located in the city of Chestnut Hill.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Boston College

4
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
77 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Georgetown University if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in english language & literature. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Georgetown University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
57 Annual Graduates

Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Northwestern University

6
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
68 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Pennsylvania

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
132 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Columbia University in the City of New York

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
302 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of California - Los Angeles

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
274 Annual Graduates

UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of California - Berkeley

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
205 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from The University of Texas at Austin

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
118 Annual Graduates

UMCP is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of College Park.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Maryland - College Park

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
53 Annual Graduates

Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Notre Dame

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
127 Annual Graduates

U-M is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
118 Annual Graduates

Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

15
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
62 Annual Graduates

Boston U is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Boston.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Boston University

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
115 Annual Graduates

Located in the town of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Connecticut

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
172 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Virginia - Main Campus

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
320 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Tallahassee, Florida State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Florida State University

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Annual Graduates

Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Johns Hopkins University

20
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
20 Annual Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Villanova University

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
102 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Wisconsin - Madison

22
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
92 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Michigan State University

23
57 Annual Graduates

Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit college located in the midsize city of Worcester.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from College of the Holy Cross

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
116 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Bronx, Fordham U is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from Fordham University

25
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
150 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in english language & literature from University of Florida

Rest of the Top 50 Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools

26
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
27
28
29
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
30
31
32

33

34
35
36
37
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
38
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
39
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
40
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
41

42

43
44
45
46
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
47
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, MA
48
49
50
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY

Remaining Award Winners

This section represents the rest of the schools awarded a Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 20% of the 471 different United States english language & literature schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 Barnard College New York, NY
52 Duke University Durham, NC
53 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
54 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
55 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
56 Illinois State University Normal, IL
57 Binghamton University Vestal, NY
58 George Mason University Fairfax, VA
59 University of Georgia Athens, GA
60 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
61 Brandeis University Waltham, MA
62 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
63 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
64 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
65 Clemson University Clemson, SC
66 University at Albany Albany, NY
67 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
68 Emerson College Boston, MA
69 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
70 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
71 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
72 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
73 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
74 Fairfield University Fairfield, CT
75 Trinity College Hartford, CT
76 Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Bowling Green, OH
77 Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA
78 University of North Texas Denton, TX
79 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
80 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
81 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
82 Lafayette College Easton, PA
83 George Washington University Washington, DC
84 Williams College Williamstown, MA
85 Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA
86 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
87 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
88 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
89 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
90 Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA
91 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
92 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
93 University of Rochester Rochester, NY
94 Iowa State University Ames, IA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for English Language & Literature students that almost earned our Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
95 Auburn University Auburn, AL
96 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
97 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
98 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA
99 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
100 Emory University Atlanta, GA
101 University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY
102 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
103 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
104 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
105 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
106 Sewanee - The University of the South Sewanee, TN
107 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
108 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
109 Temple University Philadelphia, PA
110 American University Washington, DC
111 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
112 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA
113 University of Houston Houston, TX
114 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
115 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
116 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
117 University of Dayton Dayton, OH
118 Providence College Providence, RI
119 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
120 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
121 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
122 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
123 Washington State University Pullman, WA
124 Northeastern University Boston, MA
125 Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
126 University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM
127 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
128 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
129 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
130 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
131 Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ
132 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
133 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
134 University of Denver Denver, CO
135 University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC
136 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
137 University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA
138 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
139 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
140 Ball State University Muncie, IN
141 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
142 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
143 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
144 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA
145 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY
146 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
147 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
148 Kenyon College Gambier, OH
149 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
150 Saint Joseph’s University Philadelphia, PA
151 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
152 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
153 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
154 Smith College Northampton, MA
155 University of Massachusetts - Lowell Lowell, MA
156 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
157 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD

English Language & Literature by Region

View the Best English Language & Literature Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

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English Language & Literature Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
General English Literature 28,956
Writing Studies 6,512
English Literature (Other) 666
Literature 508

Related Major Annual Graduates
Social Sciences 147,088
Communication & Journalism 89,939
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 39,135
History 24,256
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences 21,033
Foreign Languages & Linguistics 20,084
Philosophy & Religious Studies 13,952
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies 9,424
Theology & Religious Vocations 7,600

Notes and References

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