2026 Best Value French Language & Literature Schools in Massachusetts

[French Language & Literature](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/romance-languages/french-language-literature/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 23 schools to find the best return on investment for french language & literature students.
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2026 Best Value French Language & Literature Schools in Massachusetts
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
Leading the list is Harvard University, our #1 best value for french language & literature in Massachusetts. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,676. French Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Soon after graduation, french language & literature degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $95,207. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Massachusetts Amherst one of the best values for french language & literature. Located in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. Students borrow a median of $25,234 to complete the french language & literature program here. Early-career french language & literature graduates make about $53,543. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Smith College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value french language & literature schools. Set in the city of Northampton, Smith College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,178 in tuition and fees. French Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, french language & literature degree recipients from Smith College generally make around $35,407. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 21%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Mount Holyoke College earned it the #4 place for french language & literature. Located in the suburb of South Hadley, Mount Holyoke College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,018. Typical student debt for french language & literature graduates is $23,828. French Language & Literature graduates of Mount Holyoke College earn a median of $26,013 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,828 median debt. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
College Of The Holy Cross came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value french language & literature schools. Located in the city of Worcester, College Of The Holy Cross is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,500. Typical student debt for french language & literature graduates is $26,975. Early-career french language & literature graduates make about $52,210. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 18% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.