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Best English Language & Literature Master's Degree Schools in California

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2023 Best English Language & Literature Master's Degree Schools in California

37 Colleges
$40,812 Avg Salary

Finding the Best English Language & Literature Master's Degree School for You

In 2020-2021, 7,609 degrees and certificates were awarded to English language and literature students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #19 most popular major in the state.

There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best English Language & Literature Master's Degree Schools in California ranking. Our analysis looked at 37 schools in California to see which master's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best English Language & Literature Master’s Degree Schools in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for English language and literature majors pursuing a master's degree.

Top 10 Best English Language & Literature Master's Degree Schools

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

Our 2023 rankings named Stanford University the best school in California for English language and literature students working on their master’s degree. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.

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#2

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA

The excellent master’s degree programs at Loyola Marymount University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best English language and literature schools in California. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

Full English Language & Literature at Loyola Marymount University Report

#3

National University

La Jolla, CA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend National University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best English Language & Literature Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the city of La Jolla, National University is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.

Full English Language & Literature at National University Report

#4

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of San Francisco. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best English Language & Literature Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at University of San Francisco

Out of the 37 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the # 5 spot on the list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a fairly large public school located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo.

Full English Language & Literature at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Report

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best English Language & Literature Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. UCSB is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Santa Barbara.

Full English Language & Literature at University of California - Santa Barbara Report

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on this year’s best schools for English language and literature students working on their master’s degree. UCLA is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at University of California - Los Angeles

With a ranking of #8, University of California - San Diego did quite well on this year’s best schools for English language and literature students working on their master’s degree. Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public college with a fairly large student population.

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San Jose State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for English language and literature students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. San Jose State is a fairly large public school located in the large city of San Jose.

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University of Southern California landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree English language and literature programs. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

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Best English Language & Literature Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 896
Oregon 524
Hawaii 111
Nevada 290
Alaska 52

English Language & Literature Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
General English Literature 40,481
Writing Studies 12,529
English Literature (Other) 942
Literature 683

Related Major Annual Graduates
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 556,813
Visual & Performing Arts 149,215
Foreign Languages & Linguistics 33,333
Theology & Religious Vocations 27,459
Philosophy & Religious Studies 19,993

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Mike Hazard.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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