2026 Best Value Italian Language & Literature Schools in California

[Italian Language & Literature](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/romance-languages/italian-language-literature/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong italian language & literature education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 28 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for italian language & literature students.
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2026 Best Value Italian Language & Literature Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the italian language & literature degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Italian Language & Literature Schools
San Diego Mesa College earned the #1 spot for value among italian language & literature schools in California. Set in the city of San Diego, San Diego Mesa College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,146, compared with $10,002 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $6,999. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from San Diego Mesa College generally make around $29,852. Set against $6,999 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes College Of The Canyons one of the best values for italian language & literature. College Of The Canyons is a very large public school located in the suburb of Santa Clarita. In-state tuition and fees average $1,166, while out-of-state students pay about $10,958. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $9,776. Early-career italian language & literature graduates make about $51,913. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Saddleback College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools. Saddleback College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Mission Viejo. Students from in state pay about $1,432 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,812 for out-of-state students. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $5,707 in student loans. Italian Language & Literature graduates of Saddleback College earn a median of $15,890 early in their careers. Set against $5,707 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Pasadena City College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools. Located in the city of Pasadena, Pasadena City College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,180, compared with $10,924 for out-of-state students. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $9,191 in student loans. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from Pasadena City College generally make around $38,841. Set against $9,191 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in italian language & literature will find it at De Anza College, which ranked #5. De Anza College is a very large public school located in the city of Cupertino. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,571, compared with $12,596 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $7,271. Median earnings reach $56,596 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $7,271 median debt.
Palomar College landed the #6 spot for italian language & literature value this year. Palomar College is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Marcos. In-state tuition and fees average $1,354, while out-of-state students pay about $10,650. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $42,300.
Miracosta College placed #7 among the best values for italian language & literature. Set in the suburb of Oceanside, Miracosta College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,158, compared with $9,750 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $43,845.
City College Of San Francisco ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools. Located in the city of San Francisco, City College Of San Francisco is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,696, with out-of-state students paying around $14,656. Students borrow a median of $10,332 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Early-career italian language & literature graduates make about $100,031. Set against $10,332 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Glendale Community College Glendale Ca landed the #9 spot for italian language & literature value this year. Set in the city of Glendale, Glendale Community College Glendale Ca is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,191, compared with $10,935 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,800 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Graduates go on to earn a median of $41,540 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southwestern College Chula Vista ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools. Set in the city of Chula Vista, Southwestern College Chula Vista is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,344 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,640. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $11,205 in student loans. Early-career italian language & literature graduates make about $49,358. Set against $11,205 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
San Francisco State University came in at #11 for value in italian language & literature this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,846 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,446. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $15,250. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from San Francisco State University generally make around $50,955. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. San Francisco State University admits about 96% of applicants.
University Of California Los Angeles ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,233, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $14,752 in student loans. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $26,966. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #13 for value in italian language & literature this year. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, while out-of-state students pay about $47,265. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $11,593 in student loans. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $40,818. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
University Of California Davis placed #14 among the best values for italian language & literature. Set in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,804, compared with $47,692 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $14,171. Italian Language & Literature graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $53,749 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,171 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
University Of Southern California placed #15 among the best values for italian language & literature. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,647. Students borrow a median of $20,380 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Italian Language & Literature graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $75,677 early in their careers. Set against $20,380 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 28 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.