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2024 Best Linguistics & Comparative Literature Schools

141 Colleges in the United States
8,539 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$28,017 Avg Early-Career Salary
Linguistics & Comparative Literature is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #96 most popular degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 141 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of linguistics & comparative literature. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 8,539 degrees in linguistics & comparative literature during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Linguistics & Comparative Literature School

Best Linguistics & Comparative Literature Schools Your choice of linguistics & comparative literature school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Linguistics & Comparative Literature School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Linguistics & Comparative Literature Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Comparative Literature
Master's Degrees in Comparative Literature
Doctor's Degrees in Comparative Literature

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Linguistics & Comparative Literature Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

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.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Linguistics & Comparative Literature in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of comparative literature degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

21 Top Schools in Comparative Literature

1
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
9th Most Popular In NY
41 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

It is hard to beat Columbia University in the City of New York if you wish to pursue a degree in linguistics & comparative literature. Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 41 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Columbia University in the City of New York

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
147 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$34,901 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you want to pursue a degree in linguistics & comparative literature. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 147 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Linguistics & Comparative Literature degree recipients from University of California - Los Angeles get an earnings boost of approximately $6,884 above the average earnings of linguistics & comparative literature majors.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of California - Los Angeles

3
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In DC
56 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

Georgetown University is a good choice for students interested in a degree in linguistics & comparative literature. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #15 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Georgetown is a great university overall.

There were roughly 56 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Georgetown University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In CA
47 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

It is difficult to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a degree in linguistics & comparative literature. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 47 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Southern California

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
96 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$29,747 Median Starting Salary

UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were about 96 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the comparative literature program report average early career income of $29,747.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of California - Berkeley

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
13.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 60 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the linguistics & comparative literature program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earn $7,829 more than the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

7
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$33,441 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were roughly 33 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year. Linguistics & Comparative Literature degree recipients from Duke University receive an earnings boost of about $5,424 above the average income of linguistics & comparative literature graduates.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Duke University

8
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In NY
46 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #27 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 46 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from New York University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
49 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
22.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were approximately 49 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the comparative literature program state that they receive average early career earnings of $14,137.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Chicago

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
66 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$33,546 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 51 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were about 66 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Those linguistics & comparative literature students who get their degree from University of Washington - Seattle Campus make $5,529 more than the typical comparative literature graduate.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
150 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
22.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 150 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the comparative literature program earn about $26,790 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of California - Santa Barbara

12
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
114 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$26,279 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 77 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 114 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the comparative literature program state that they receive average early career wages of $26,279.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Florida

13
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
43 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$57,928 Median Starting Salary

Middlebury Institute is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize suburb of Monterey. This school ranks 34th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 43 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Middlebury Institute in the most recent year we have data available. Those linguistics & comparative literature students who get their degree from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey make $29,911 more than the typical comparative literature student.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

14
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$28,130 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #21 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Brown is a great university overall.

There were about 21 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the comparative literature program state that they receive average early career wages of $28,130.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Brown University

15
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In MA
44 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

Boston U is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Boston. This university ranks 6th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were roughly 44 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Boston University

16
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
79 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$29,068 Median Starting Salary

BYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Provo. This university ranks 1st out of 13 colleges for overall quality in the state of Utah.

There were roughly 79 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at BYU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the comparative literature program report average early career wages of $29,068.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from Brigham Young University - Provo

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In MO
45 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

Mizzou is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia. This university ranks 4th out of 48 colleges for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were approximately 45 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at Mizzou in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Missouri - Columbia

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
75 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
14.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 13th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 75 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, comparative literature degree recipients usually earn an average of $25,416 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of California - Davis

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
56 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded
$27,205 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were approximately 56 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the comparative literature program earn around $27,205 for their early career.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from The University of Texas at Austin

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In CT
40 Comparative Literature Degrees Awarded

Located in the large suburb of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 28 colleges for overall quality in the state of Connecticut.

There were approximately 40 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UCONN in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Connecticut

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In WI

Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #30 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.

There were roughly 16 linguistics & comparative literature students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in linguistics & comparative literature from University of Wisconsin - Madison

Rest of the Top Best Linguistics & Comparative Literature Schools

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Linguistics & Comparative Literature Schools award.

Rank College Location
26 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
27 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
28 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
22 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
23 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
24 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
25 University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA
25 Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA

Linguistics & Comparative Literature by Region

View the Best Linguistics & Comparative Literature 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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Linguistics & Comparative Literature is one of 18 different types of Foreign Languages & Linguistics programs to choose from.

Comparative Literature Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Linguistics 3,247
Modern Languages 2,871
Language Translation 971
Comparative Literature 964
Other Linguistic, Comparative, & Related Language Studies & Services 288
Applied Linguistics 198

View All Comparative Literature Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Romance Languages 15,009
American Sign Language 2,724
East Asian Languages 2,293
Classical Languages & Literature 1,428
Germanic Languages 1,425
Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages 607
Middle Eastern Semitic Languages 607
Foreign Language, Literature & Linguistics (Other) 500
Second Language Learning 108
Southeast Asian & Pacific Languages 38

View All Comparative Literature Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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