2026 Best Value French Studies Master’s Degree Schools

[French Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/french-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 45 schools to find the best return on investment for french studies students.
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2026 Best Value French Studies Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in french studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value French Studies Schools
University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned the #1 spot for value among french studies schools in the United States. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Typical student debt for french studies graduates is $14,922. French Studies graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $65,681 early in their careers. Set against $14,922 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 39%.
Ohio University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in french studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. French Studies graduates carry a median of $24,546 in student loans. Early-career french studies graduates make about $49,736. That is a strong return on a $24,546 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Austin earned it the #3 place for french studies. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $22,215 to complete the french studies program here. Early-career french studies graduates make about $46,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Brown University one of the best values for french studies. Brown University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $71,312. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the french studies program here. Soon after graduation, french studies degree recipients from Brown University generally make around $39,165. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 5%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New York University earned it the #5 place for french studies. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,796. French Studies graduates carry a median of $19,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, french studies degree recipients from New York University generally make around $51,233. Set against $19,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
Other French Studies Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value French Studies rankings across degree levels:
View All French Studies 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 · 45 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.