2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in California
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best English Language & Literature 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 assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 38 schools in California to see which ones offered the best value programs for English language and literature students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
Top 10 Best English Language & Literature Schools
Our analysis found San Jose State University to be the best value school for English language and literature students who want to pursue a degree in California. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose.
San Jose State undergraduate students pay an average of $7,852 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, San Jose State also is in the top 20% of our Best English Language & Literature Schools in California ranking.
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The excellent programs at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best English language and literature schools in California. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo undergraduate students pay an average of $10,195 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that English language and literature majors at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo take out is $19,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $246, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also is in the top 5% of our Best English Language & Literature Schools in California ranking.
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Out of the 38 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco State University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the large city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at SFSU are $7,304 a year. The average amount in student loans that English language and literature majors at SFSU take out is $15,375.
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Out of the 38 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Sacramento landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the city of Sacramento, Sac State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Sac State are $7,392 a year. After completing their degree, English language and literature graduates from Sac State carry an average student debtload of $16,189.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means California State University - Northridge is a great value for English language and literature students. Located in the city of Northridge, CSUN is a public school with a very large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CSUN are $7,043 per year. On average, English language and literature graduates from CSUN take out $15,648 in student loans while working on their degree.
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California State University - Los Angeles came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in California ranking. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Cal State LA is a public college with a fairly large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cal State LA are $6,785 per year. While working on their degree, English language and literature majors at Cal State LA accumulate an average of around $13,942 in student debt.
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California State University - East Bay came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in California ranking. Located in the suburb of Hayward, Cal State East Bay is a public college with a large student population.
Cal State East Bay undergraduate students pay an average of $6,995 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that English language and literature majors at Cal State East Bay take out is $16,399.
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California State University - Long Beach landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value English language and literature programs. CSULB is a fairly large public school located in the city of Long Beach.
CSULB undergraduate students pay an average of $6,846 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, English language and literature majors at CSULB accumulate an average of around $15,695 in student debt.
Full English Language & Literature at California State University - Long Beach Report
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California State University - San Marcos did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for English language and literature students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the large suburb of San Marcos, CSUSM is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at CSUSM are $7,727 a year. English Language & Literature majors at CSUSM take out an average of $15,989 in student loans while working on their egree.
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California State University - Fullerton did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for English language and literature students. It came in at #9 on the list. Cal State Fullerton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fullerton.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Cal State Fullerton are $6,976 a year. The average amount in student loans that English language and literature majors at Cal State Fullerton take out is $13,846.
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Request InformationBest Value English Language & Literature Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Value English Language & Literature Colleges 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 |
More English Language & Literature Rankings in California
Majors Related to English Language & Literature
English Language & Literature Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General English Literature | 40,481 |
| Writing Studies | 12,529 |
| English Literature (Other) | 942 |
| Literature | 683 |
Most Popular Majors Related to English Language & Literature
| 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.
- 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.