2026 Best Value Italian Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Italian Language & Literature](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/romance-languages/italian-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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for italian language & literature students.
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2026 Best Value Italian Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in italian language & literature, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Italian Language & Literature Schools
University Of Illinois At Chicago tops our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $17,559. Italian Language & Literature graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $61,829 early in their careers. Set against $17,559 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Students looking for strong value in italian language & literature will find it at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,677 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Early-career italian language & literature graduates make about $22,803. Set against $17,677 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the best values for italian language & literature. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $21,800 in student loans. Italian Language & Literature graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $38,942 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,800 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in italian language & literature will find it at Indiana University Bloomington, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,144, while out-of-state students pay about $41,891. Students borrow a median of $14,000 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Early-career italian language & literature graduates make about $33,307. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Students looking for strong value in italian language & literature will find it at University Of Detroit Mercy, which ranked #5. University Of Detroit Mercy is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Detroit. In-state tuition and fees average $32,946. Typical student debt for italian language & literature graduates is $29,053. Italian Language & Literature graduates of University Of Detroit Mercy earn a median of $76,755 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,053 median debt. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of Wisconsin Madison ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value italian language & literature schools. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $20,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $35,720. Set against $20,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin Madison admits about 45% of applicants.
Ohio State University Main Campus placed #7 among the best values for italian language & literature. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Students borrow a median of $22,746 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $27,815. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus landed the #8 spot for italian language & literature value this year. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. Students from in state pay about $13,363 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Italian Language & Literature graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, italian language & literature degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $30,504. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Loyola University Chicago earned the #9 position for value in italian language & literature this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,710 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,698 to complete the italian language & literature program here. Italian Language & Literature graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $58,568 early in their careers. Set against $22,698 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 19 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.