Comparative Literature: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Comparative Literature explores literary works across multiple cultures, languages, and historical periods, emphasizing cross-cultural analysis and critical interpretation. This interdisciplinary field equips students with the analytical tools to examine how stories, themes, and forms evolve and interact across national and linguistic boundaries.
- Comparative linguistics: Investigates structural and historical relationships between languages to understand how linguistic differences shape literary expression.
- Foreign language studies: Develops proficiency in multiple languages, enabling direct engagement with primary texts in their original form.
- English and French literature: Analyzes major works from Anglophone and Francophone literary traditions, focusing on historical development, stylistic innovation, and cultural context.
- Literary criticism: Explores theoretical frameworks and interpretive methods used to evaluate narrative structure, authorial intent, and cultural significance.
- Genre analysis: Examines how literary forms such as poetry, prose, and drama function and transform across different cultural and historical settings.
- Period and national studies: Places literary works within specific historical eras and national contexts to trace intellectual, political, and social influences.
- Textual studies: Focuses on the evolution, editing, and interpretation of literary manuscripts and editions, including issues of authenticity and transmission.
Comparative Literature Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Comparative Literature Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Comparative Literature degrees, including English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 59,590 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1123 | $78,270 | $47,540 - $154,800 | 59,590 | N/A |
Comparative Literature Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $48,260 in Hawaii to $130,580 in California—a 171% difference. The highest-paying states include California, New Jersey, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 59,590 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Comparative Literature by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 83 institutions offering Comparative Literature programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Comparative Literature is found at University of California (UCSC), Santa Cruz (140 graduates), The University of Texas, Dallas (66 graduates), Columbia University in the City of New York (48 graduates), University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Rio Piedras (39 graduates), and University of California (UCB), Berkeley (31 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 917 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California (UCSC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
140 | Santa Cruz, California | Public | ucsc.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
66 | Richardson, Texas | Public | utdallas.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
|
48 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
39 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | uprrp.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Brown University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
28 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | brown.edu |
| Princeton University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Princeton, New Jersey | Private | princeton.edu |
| Harvard University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
22 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| University of California (UCSB) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | ucsb.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Stanford University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| Occidental College (Oxy) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Los Angeles, California | Private | oxy.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Dartmouth College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
15 | Hanover, New Hampshire | Private | dartmouth.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
14 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
14 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
14 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Oberlin College |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Oberlin, Ohio | Private | oberlin.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| University of California (UCR) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Riverside, California | Public | ucr.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| California State University (CSULB) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
9 | Long Beach, California | Public | csulb.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
8 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| Emory University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Williams College |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Williamstown, Massachusetts | Private | williams.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| Barnard College |
Bachelor's
|
7 | New York, New York | Private | barnard.edu |
| University of Rochester |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Rochester, New York | Private | rochester.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| Binghamton University |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
|
6 | Vestal, New York | Public | binghamton.edu |
| Reed College |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Portland, Oregon | Private | reed.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Smith College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Northampton, Massachusetts | Private | smith.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPRM) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Mayaguez, Puerto Rico | Public | uprm.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| CUNY Lehman College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Bronx, New York | Public | lehman.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| Middlebury College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Middlebury, Vermont | Private | middlebury.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| Colorado College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Private | coloradocollege.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
3 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| Clark University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Private | clarku.edu |
| Wellesley College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Wellesley, Massachusetts | Private | wellesley.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| University of Michigan |
Other Award
|
2 | Dearborn, Michigan | Public | umdearborn.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| CUNY City College (CCNY) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | New York, New York | Public | ccny.cuny.edu |
| CUNY Hunter College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | New York, New York | Public | hunter.cuny.edu |
| CUNY Queens College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Queens, New York | Public | qc.cuny.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges (HWS) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Geneva, New York | Private | hws.edu |
| Hofstra University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Hempstead, New York | Private | hofstra.edu |
| Clackamas Community College (CCC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Oregon City, Oregon | Public | clackamas.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| Brandeis University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | brandeis.edu |
| Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | case.edu |
| Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Delaware, Ohio | Private | owu.edu |
| Haverford College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Haverford, Pennsylvania | Private | haverford.edu |
| Lycoming College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Williamsport, Pennsylvania | Private | lycoming.edu |
| Swarthmore College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania | Private | swarthmore.edu |
| University of Dallas (UD) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Irving, Texas | Private | udallas.edu |
| Averett University (AU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Danville, Virginia | Private | averett.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Comparative Literature programs
How much can I earn with a Comparative Literature degree?
Salaries for Comparative Literature graduates vary by role and location. English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $78,270 annually. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $130,580 compared to $48,260 in Hawaii. Approximately 59,590 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Comparative Literature programs?
Currently 83 accredited institutions offer Comparative Literature degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of California (UCSC), Santa Cruz (140 graduates), The University of Texas, Dallas (66 graduates), and Columbia University in the City of New York (48 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Comparative Literature growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,141 in 2010 to a peak of 1,094 in 2020, before declining slightly to 917 in 2023-24. This represents a 20% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Comparative Literature degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 59,590 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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