2026 Best Value General English Literature Schools in Maine
[General English Literature](/majors/english-language-literature/general-english-language-literature/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for general english literature students.
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2026 Best Value General English Literature Schools in Maine
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general english literature degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General English Literature Schools
For return on investment in general english literature, no school beat University Of Southern Maine this year. University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Portland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,090, with out-of-state students paying around $29,940. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, general english literature degree recipients from University Of Southern Maine generally make around $33,014. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Students looking for strong value in general english literature will find it at University Of Maine, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,326, compared with $36,756 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $23,250. Early-career general english literature graduates make about $28,727. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
Bowdoin College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general english literature, landing the #3 spot this year. Bowdoin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Brunswick. Students from in state pay about $67,832 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $20,658 to complete the general english literature program here. General English Literature graduates of Bowdoin College earn a median of $49,421 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 7% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Colby College earned it the #4 place for general english literature. Colby College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waterville. In-state tuition and fees average $69,600. Typical student debt for general english literature graduates is $22,016. Early-career general english literature graduates make about $46,772. That is a strong return on a $22,016 median debt. The acceptance rate is 7%.
Bates College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general english literature, landing the #5 spot this year. Bates College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lewiston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,590. Students borrow a median of $12,226 to complete the general english literature program here. General English Literature graduates of Bates College earn a median of $40,233 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 13% of applicants are accepted.
More General English Literature Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
