2026 Best Value French Language & Literature Schools in New York

[French Language & Literature](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/romance-languages/french-language-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 50 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value french language & literature schools.
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2026 Best Value French Language & Literature Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the french language & literature degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value French Language & Literature Schools
For return on investment in french language & literature, no school beat Cuny Lehman College this year. Located in the city of Bronx, Cuny Lehman College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,410, with out-of-state students paying around $15,360. Students borrow a median of $8,617 to complete the french language & literature program here. Soon after graduation, french language & literature degree recipients from Cuny Lehman College generally make around $35,941. Set against $8,617 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Cuny Queens College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in french language & literature, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Queens, Cuny Queens College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,538, compared with $15,488 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for french language & literature graduates is $12,157. Soon after graduation, french language & literature degree recipients from Cuny Queens College generally make around $37,654. Set against $12,157 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cuny Queens College admits about 64% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in french language & literature will find it at Cuny Hunter College, which ranked #3. Cuny Hunter College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. In-state tuition and fees average $7,382, compared with $15,332 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for french language & literature graduates is $15,523. Early-career french language & literature graduates make about $30,534. That is a strong return on a $15,523 median debt. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Stony Brook University one of the best values for french language & literature. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,931, with out-of-state students paying around $32,741. Students borrow a median of $19,212 to complete the french language & literature program here. French Language & Literature graduates of Stony Brook University earn a median of $60,047 early in their careers. Set against $19,212 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 49% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at State University Of New York At New Paltz earned it the #5 place for french language & literature. Located in the town of New Paltz, State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,572, compared with $18,822 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for french language & literature graduates is $16,000. Early-career french language & literature graduates make about $28,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value french language & literature schools. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,517. Students borrow a median of $20,250 to complete the french language & literature program here. French Language & Literature graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $54,327 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Suny At Binghamton placed #7 among the best values for french language & literature. Suny At Binghamton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Vestal. Students from in state pay about $10,567 in tuition and fees, compared with $30,447 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the french language & literature program here. Soon after graduation, french language & literature degree recipients from Suny At Binghamton generally make around $32,718. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University came in at #8 for value in french language & literature this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,314. French Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $15,500 in student loans. French Language & Literature graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $75,976 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,500 median debt. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
New York University earned the #9 position for value in french language & literature this year. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,796. Typical student debt for french language & literature graduates is $21,897. French Language & Literature graduates of New York University earn a median of $64,516 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
Vassar College came in at #10 for value in french language & literature this year. Set in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $71,030. French Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, french language & literature degree recipients from Vassar College generally make around $28,999. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. Vassar College admits about 19% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 50 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.