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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Literature Master’s Degree Schools

3 Colleges in the United States
86 Literature Degrees Awarded
$59,641 Avg Early-Career Salary

Literature degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 120 schools to find the best for literature students.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Literature in the United States

Below are the best literature schools at the master’s degree level, ranked by the quality of the education they deliver.

Top Schools in Literature

1
New York University crest
New York University
New York, NY

New York University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in literature. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. New York University graduates 88% of students within six years. There were roughly 32 literature students who graduated with this degree at New York University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the literature program make about $64,516 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $21,897 to complete this degree. Get the full literature details for New York University

2

George Mason University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in literature, ranking #2. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. There were roughly 31 literature students who graduated with this degree at George Mason University in the most recent data year. Literature graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $63,131 early in their careers. George Mason University graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. Read more about the literature program at George Mason University

3
Simmons College crest
Simmons College
Boston, MA

A rank of #3 makes Simmons College one of the top schools for literature. Set in the city of Boston, Simmons College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 72% of students complete a degree within six years here. Simmons College awarded about 12 literature degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their literature degree from Simmons College earn around $63,860 in the first couple years of their career. Simmons College graduates carry a median of $26,740 in student loans. Read more about the literature program at Simmons College

4

Northern Arizona University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in literature, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. Northern Arizona University graduates 61% of students within six years. There were roughly 11 literature students who graduated with this degree at Northern Arizona University in the most recent data year. Literature graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. Northern Arizona University graduates carry a median of $21,645 in student loans. Get the full literature details for Northern Arizona University

Other Literature Degree Levels

Looking for a different degree level? Compare Literature rankings across degree levels:

All Degree Levels in Literature
Associate's Degrees in Literature
Bachelor's Degrees in Literature
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View All Literature Rankings >

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 120 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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