2027 Best Value Comparative Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Comparative Literature](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/comparative-literature/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value comparative literature schools.
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2027 Best Value Comparative Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in comparative literature, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Comparative Literature Schools
For return on investment in comparative literature, no school beat University Of Michigan Ann Arbor this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $15,124. Comparative Literature graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $27,699 early in their careers. Set against $15,124 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value comparative literature schools. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $19,500. Comparative Literature graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $25,921 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Purdue University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value comparative literature schools. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Comparative Literature graduates carry a median of $19,844 in student loans. Early-career comparative literature graduates make about $63,111. That is a strong return on a $19,844 median debt. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in comparative literature will find it at University Of Chicago, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,324. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $15,854. Early-career comparative literature graduates make about $81,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
A rank of #5 makes Indiana University Bloomington one of the best values for comparative literature. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,144, compared with $41,891 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,635 to complete the comparative literature program here. Comparative Literature graduates of Indiana University Bloomington earn a median of $52,123 early in their careers. Set against $18,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee earned the #6 position for value in comparative literature this year. Located in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,398, with out-of-state students paying around $22,398. Comparative Literature graduates carry a median of $25,479 in student loans. Early-career comparative literature graduates make about $46,561. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio State University Main Campus earned the #7 position for value in comparative literature this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $20,096. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $27,788. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Northwestern University landed the #8 spot for comparative literature value this year. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $16,616. Early-career comparative literature graduates make about $78,551. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 8%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.