2026 Best Value Comparative Literature Schools in the New England 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for comparative literature students.
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2026 Best Value Comparative Literature Schools in the New England Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in comparative literature, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Comparative Literature Schools
Our analysis ranked Harvard University the best value for a degree in comparative literature in the New England Region. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,676. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $95,207. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Connecticut earned it the #2 place for comparative literature. Set in the town of Storrs, University Of Connecticut is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,044, compared with $43,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $23,637. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from University Of Connecticut generally make around $58,784. Set against $23,637 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in comparative literature will find it at University Of Massachusetts Amherst, which ranked #3. University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public school located in the city of Amherst. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. Comparative Literature graduates carry a median of $25,234 in student loans. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Amherst generally make around $20,334. Set against $25,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Massachusetts Amherst admits about 60% of applicants.
Brown University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value comparative literature schools. Brown University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,312. Comparative Literature graduates carry a median of $13,025 in student loans. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from Brown University generally make around $62,820. Set against $13,025 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in comparative literature will find it at Boston University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $68,102. Students borrow a median of $25,232 to complete the comparative literature program here. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $63,598. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
Yale University earned the #6 position for value in comparative literature this year. Yale University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New Haven. In-state tuition and fees average $67,250. Students borrow a median of $14,357 to complete the comparative literature program here. Early-career comparative literature graduates make about $74,578. Set against $14,357 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Yale University admits about 4% of applicants.
Dartmouth College earned the #7 position for value in comparative literature this year. Dartmouth College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hanover. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,019. Typical student debt for comparative literature graduates is $16,989. Soon after graduation, comparative literature degree recipients from Dartmouth College generally make around $81,992. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 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.