Best Literature Programs in the United States (2026)
Updated
Part of Best English Colleges in the United States
This page ranks the 6 Literature programs in the United States by the median earnings of Literature graduates four years after completing. Pace University leads with $58,051, followed by American University at $54,436.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $47,451, with a spread of $32,857 from $58,051 to $25,194. For 1 of the 6 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list splits evenly between 3 public and 3 private nonprofit institutions. University of California-Los Angeles ranks 22nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally, the strongest showing on the page.
University of California-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price at $12,548.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pace University · New York, NY | $58,051 | $30,892 | $26,473 | 75.9% |
| Pace University reports $58,051 in median earnings of Literature graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list, alongside a 76% admission rate. | |||||
| 2 | American University · Washington, DC | $54,436 | $41,943 | $23,233 | 62.0% |
| American University ranks 2nd on this page with median earnings of $54,436 four years after completing, and its Literature completers who borrowed left with a median of $26,105 in federal loans. | |||||
| 3 | SUNY at Purchase College · Purchase, NY | $49,153 | $18,913 | $11,835 | 74.1% |
| A public university in Purchase, SUNY at Purchase College posts an average net price of $18,913 and median earnings of $49,153 for its Literature graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA | $45,749 | $30,434 | $14,709 | 58.1% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus shows $45,749 in median earnings four years after completing and an average net price of $14,709 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | The New School · New York, NY | $42,674 | $58,741 | $50,140 | 63.5% |
| With a cohort of 49 graduates, The New School records median earnings of $42,674 four years after completing and a median federal debt of $22,497 among its Literature completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $25,194 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| University of California-Los Angeles ranks 6th on this list and holds the page's lowest average net price at $12,548, while its Literature graduates earn a median of $25,194 four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Literature graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The median reflects federally aided Literature graduates who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 1 of the 6 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Pace University leads American University by $3,615, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $32,857.
Related rankings
- Best English Colleges in the United States
- English Colleges for Social Mobility