### SUMMARY

 Studying Comparative Literature is not only a valuable choice, but frequently a mandatory first step for undergraduates seeking to begin a career as a screenwriter, a theatrical actor, or a public relations associate. In fact, comparative literature is an uncommon major being the 237th most popular area of study. Last academic year, there were 803 comparative literature diplomas received. In-state tuition for comparative literature at private institutions is, on average, 4.4 times more expensive than their public rivals.

 With only 95 colleges offering comparative literature you might have a smaller selection of institutions you can choose from. If you're hoping to immerse yourself with other comparative literature undergrads, consider looking at schools in California which have more undergraduates admitted to comparative literature than any other state. More generally, the best region to pursue comparative literature is in the Far West region with [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), [University of California-Santa Barbara](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara), and [University of California-Santa Cruz](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick of the top conference to major in comparative literature is the Division III Independents with [University of California-Santa Cruz](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz) representing the conference. That being said, our choice for the best university for comparative literature is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You might also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The objectively best school might not actually be the best school for every student. There can be lots of perspectives to weigh when choosing ​university. Things like campus amenities, transportation services, and food might definitely modify your thoughts on which university to attend. At Authority, we have evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you want to know which comparative literature college boasts the top college campus, the answer is [Harvard University](/colleges/harvard-university). If you are very interested in which college has the best campus, we have a whole page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, student reviews, government databases, and more so we can compare every U.S. major in an unbiased and informative way. You can find our comprehensive list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and, from that list, our pick of the university with the best student life for comparative literature is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Are you curious why? Continue reading to learn more about Authority's top selections. Some of our decisions might shock you.

 If price is a primary factor in your choice of where you attend university, you might consider avoiding [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspappears to be our most expensive school for comparative literature, at least for out of state enrollment. That being said, we have a list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that could put the price tag at [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. You may also want to know that comparative literature is the 76th most expensive degree in the United States, with an average bill of $41,200. On a broader scale, the most costly state for comparative literature in the country is Illinois with tuition and fees at the primary university, University of Chicago, of $57,642. To zoom out even further, the most costly region of the country for comparative literature is the Great Lakes region which is best demonstrated with [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago) with a cost of $57,642, [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor) with a cost of $52,669, and [Oberlin College](/colleges/oberlin-college) with a cost of $55,976.

 Our cheapest region for comparative literature is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790. In better news, the most affordable college for comparative literature is [Ramapo College of New Jersey](/colleges/ramapo-college-of-new-jersey). Authority.org's full list of the most affordable colleges can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $12,100 for a degree in comparative literature. The price increases intensely to a median of $32,500 for an out-of-state public-school student. As such, you might be interested in our choice for the school constituting the best value for comparative literature: [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). Here you will find our comprehensive list for the schools we see as being the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. That being said, this list is based on being an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when it comes to in-state tuition, but as we do not know what state(s) you might qualify for in-state tuition, we are approaching this discussion through out-of-state tuition costs.

 Earnings for comparative literature students can cover a wide range, but within two-years of graduation students will often make around $51,800. There is a lot of variation in earnings potential; top positions can experience pay up to $87,900. Straight out of college, the lowest earning positions within the comparative literature field earn $29,900, which could be worse. The top earning graduates from comparative literature come from [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university)&nbspand if you want to find the colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The prevailing diversity of comparative literature is quite high, being in the 88th percentile of majors nationally. The university with the most composite diversity for comparative literature is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list for the schools which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Comparative Literature major is only within the 47th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 85th percentile. White collegians compose the largest proportion, 48%, of students studying comparative literature. Additionally, 65% of students seeking a comparative literature major are women.

 The median score of comparative literature professors is 4.5 stars, a ranking which is 13% greater than the average across all majors; this is a fairly good score. If you are searching for the most popular comparative literature instructor in the nation, consider looking up Margaret Fronefield at [University of Miami](/colleges/university-of-miami). It might be shocking, but the highest ranked instructors for comparative literature from student rankings are at [University of Miami](/colleges/university-of-miami). If we including information beyond just rankings we find that the college possessing comprehensively the best professors for comparative literature is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You will find an explanation of our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the finest examples of professors nationwide.

 Finally, the most difficult school to get into for comparative literature is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we have a detailed page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). Although, we hope you believe that considering the higher education world from context primarily shaped by superlatives can cause issues. We at Authority hope you explore our other pages on different universities and peruse a few of our background pages on beneficial details to think about as your college search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Comparative literature is the 237th most popular degree in America, with 803 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #238 [Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing](/rankings/best-colleges-for-professional-technical-business-and-scientific-writing), and narrowly lost to #236 [Forensic Psychology](/rankings/best-colleges-for-forensic-psychology).

 The degree is offered at a total of 95 colleges across the nation, and is the 174th most widely offered degree. Given that comparative literature is offered at 40% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.

 It is also worth noting that 52% of colleges offering comparative literature are public making it a pretty accessible field.

 The far west produces the most comparative literature graduates, largely led by [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), while it’s the Division III Independents that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles) and [University of California-Santa Barbara](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more comparative literature graduates than [University of Arkansas](/colleges/university-of-arkansas), which graduated 145 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study comparative literature). More students studied comparative literature as a percentage of total students at [Reed College](/colleges/reed-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Comparative literature is the 76th most expensive major in the United States, with a median cost of $41,196 among the top 50 programs.

 The Great Lakes have the most expensive colleges with top 50 comparative literature programs predominantly led by [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago) with an annual cost of $57,642. The most expensive state for comparative literature is Illinois also led by [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago).

 Public schools with good programs typically charge 77.52% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 39.57% less than your average private school. So, if you're looking into studying at a state school, make sure you qualify for in-state tuition as soon as possible.

 The most high-priced option in the top 25 is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in the United States. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). It costs just $5,790 per year, and it is ranked 40th for its comparative literature program. If you’re looking for the least expensive option in the top 25, [Ramapo College of New Jersey](/colleges/ramapo-college-of-new-jersey)  might be right for you, ranked #20 with an in-state cost of just $12,171. Another more affordable choice would be #21, [Binghamton University](/colleges/binghamton-university) in Broome County, NY with a cost of $7,070 for in-state students and $24,660 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Paying for college is a large investment for most students. It is important to be confident you justify that spend. We aim for the following job placement and earnings stats to aid you in deciding your major at college.

 The average Comparative Literature graduate earns a first year salary of $28,699 a year (bottom 15%). With experience in their work lives, they typically make something between $29,865 and $87,908, but average more or less $51,750. For context, that is 34% over the nation wide average.

 The most common job title for a Comparative Literature graduate is Account Executive, which generally make close to $36,000; next are Marketing Internship and Marketing Coordinator, which usually earn close to $24,000 and $37,000 respectively.

 The highest earning region for Comparative Literature graduates is The Mid East. The highest earning state for Comparative Literature graduates is GA. The highest earning conference for Comparative Literature graduates is Peach Belt Conference.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Comparative Literature: Median Professor Rating: 4.5 / 5, which is Top 50.

 Professors oftentimes play a heavy role in your college experience, regardless of your focus. A good professor can help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem fun. Conversely, a bad experience with a professor can mess up your education or even worse... flunk you!

 Comparative Literature professors boast a median student rating of 4.5 out of 5, putting them in 36th place in the nation grounded in student satisfaction. For context that's 12.5% higher than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Comparative Literature professors slightly edged-out those from ["Conservation Biology"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-conservation-biology), whereas ["Pre-Law Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-pre-law-studies)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Comparative Literature.

 Now for some statistics about Comparative Literature professors. Colleges located in small citys tend to have the best Comparative Literature professors. The Atlantic Coast Conference has the highest rated Comparative Literature professors. The Southeast region has the highest rated Comparative Literature professors. Private universities tend to have higher rated Comparative Literature professors than public universities. Finally, Florida has the highest rated Comparative Literature professors in the US.

 Margaret Fronefield, professor at [University of Miami](/colleges/university-of-miami)&nbspin Coral Gables, FL is the most popular Comparative Literature professor in the US. Ching Ting Huang, professor at [University of Miami](/colleges/university-of-miami)&nbspin Coral Gables, FL is the highest rated Comparative Literature professor in the US, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Want to know which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be an extremely impactful adventure in one's life; it is an occasion for personal progress and expansion. Students start to learn their calling and build the needed skills to become a successful adult. But learning goes far beyond a classroom environment - the late nights discussing Jane Austen with a classmate, the life lesson received from an eccentric instructor, the exposure to a different background. Therefore, attending a diverse college vastly enriches what one gains from the time in university.

 Comparative Literature is a more popular major among students of color than white students. 48% of America's Comparative Literature majors are white students, followed by latino students (24%), students of other races\*\*(17%), and asian students (8%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick) located in New Brunswick, NJ.

 Moreover, Comparative Literature significatly skews female, with 65% of students majoring in Comparative Literature identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) in Chapel Hill, NC.

 Another critical type of diversity is income diversity. Comparative Literature is fairly close to the middle of the pack for economic diversity (53rd percentile). 28% of its students come from families who make north of $110,000 a year, 16% are from families who make between $30,000 and $48,000 a year, and 26% grew up in low income households. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) is the most socioeconomically diverse school in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall MA is the most diverse state for Comparative Literature. The New England is the most diverse region, and the Ivy League is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 8%
* Black: 3%
* Latino: 24%
* White: 48%
* Other: 17%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 35%
* Female: 65%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 26%
* 30k - 48k: 16%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 13%
* Over 110k: 28%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 66%
* Out of State: 24%
* International: 10%


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2023 Comparative Literature Cost

There are about 2,176 students enrolled in Comparative Literature in the USA.

COST