2026 Best Value General Literature Schools
[General Literature](/majors/english-language-literature/literature/general-literature/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 84 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general literature schools.
What’s on this page:
Finding the Best Value General Literature School for You
The right general literature school can pay off for years to come. To help, we created our Best Value General Literature Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
See how we build our rankings
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value General Literature Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
2026 Best Value General Literature Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general literature degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Literature Schools
For return on investment in general literature, no school beat Capital Community College this year. Located in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,338, compared with $15,596 for out-of-state students. General Literature graduates carry a median of $12,059 in student loans. General Literature graduates of Capital Community College earn a median of $43,086 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general literature will find it at Tyler Junior College, which ranked #2. Tyler Junior College is a large public school located in the city of Tyler. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,424, while out-of-state students pay about $4,536. General Literature graduates carry a median of $14,869 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general literature degree recipients from Tyler Junior College generally make around $43,348. Set against $14,869 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general literature will find it at Northern Arizona University, which ranked #3. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. In-state tuition and fees average $12,619, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Students borrow a median of $21,645 to complete the general literature program here. General Literature graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Arizona University admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general literature will find it at Boise State University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,048 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,788. General Literature graduates carry a median of $24,311 in student loans. General Literature graduates of Boise State University earn a median of $49,059 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general literature will find it at Sewanee The University Of The South, which ranked #5. Located in the rural area of Sewanee, Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $56,120 in tuition and fees. General Literature graduates carry a median of $22,091 in student loans. Early-career general literature graduates make about $36,927. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Miami University Oxford landed the #6 spot for general literature value this year. Set in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,519 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. Typical student debt for general literature graduates is $24,177. General Literature graduates of Miami University Oxford earn a median of $49,700 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Miami University Oxford admits about 75% of applicants.
Hamilton College placed #7 among the best values for general literature. Located in the suburb of Clinton, Hamilton College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,960. Typical student debt for general literature graduates is $16,131. Early-career general literature graduates make about $48,806. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Bennington College landed the #8 spot for general literature value this year. Located in the town of Bennington, Bennington College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,262. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general literature program here. General Literature graduates of Bennington College earn a median of $18,152 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Bennington College admits about 44% of applicants.
American University placed #9 among the best values for general literature. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,771. Students borrow a median of $26,105 to complete the general literature program here. General Literature graduates of American University earn a median of $23,164 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,105 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
The New School came in at #10 for value in general literature this year. Located in the city of New York, The New School is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,730. Typical student debt for general literature graduates is $23,750. Early-career general literature graduates make about $25,618. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Narrow General Literature Schools by Region
View All Rankings >
Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to General Literature. Browse the parent area of study.
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 84 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
