Comparative Literature Major: Graduates, International Students, Colleges and Careers

Overview

Comparative Literature is an interdisciplinary field that explores literature across cultural, linguistic, and national boundaries. This discipline encourages students to analyze texts from a variety of cultures, understanding literature as a global phenomenon rather than confined to a single language or tradition. By examining similarities and differences among literature from diverse backgrounds, scholars gain insights into the universal themes and distinctive cultural expressions that shape human experience.

Students of Comparative Literature engage with works from various genres, including poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction, often studying them in their original languages as well as in translation. The curriculum typically includes courses in literary theory, cultural studies, and critical analysis, allowing students to develop a robust understanding of the interplay between literature and other forms of art, philosophy, and social sciences.

Moreover, Comparative Literature fosters skills in critical thinking, comparative analysis, and cultural sensitivity, making graduates well-prepared for careers in academia, publishing, translation, international relations, and more. The field also encourages students to consider the impact of historical and political contexts on literary production and reception, enhancing their awareness of the complexities of identity, power, and representation within literature.

Overall, Comparative Literature provides a rich and nuanced exploration of literary works, promoting a deeper appreciation of cultural diversity and the ways in which literature can bridge gaps between different peoples and traditions. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the insights gained from this field are more relevant than ever.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

1,148 03

1,221 04

1,260 05

1,242 06

1,277 07

1,223 08

1,233 09

1,127 10

1,209 11

1,181 12

1,414 13

1,208 14

1,225 15

1,109 16

1,153 17

1,133 18

1,111 19

1,057 20

944 21

923 22

908 23

887 24

954 25

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2003 to 2025, graduates fell 17% and the international share went from 9.9% to 19.1%.

International share (%)

10 03

10 04

10 05

10 06

8 07

9 08

10 09

9 10

9 11

8 12

10 13

9 14

11 15

12 16

12 17

14 18

15 19

18 20

19 21

18 22

21 23

18 24

19 25

Graduates by group, 2025

White

38.7%

Asian

11.1%

Hispanic

19.4%

Black

2.3%

Other

9.4%

Intl.

19.1%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 73 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

Rank	School	State	Graduates	International
#2	Princeton University	New Jersey	22	2
#3	Harvard University	Massachusetts	7	3
#4	Yale University	Connecticut	23	5
#5	Stanford University	California	11	4
#7	University of Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	13	5
#9	University of Chicago	Illinois	6	3
#9	Northwestern University	Illinois	6	1
#12	Dartmouth College	New Hampshire	15	6
#12	Columbia University in the City of New York	New York	16	2
#14	Cornell University	New York	5	1
#16	Washington University in St Louis	Missouri	6	2
#16	Brown University	Rhode Island	19	3
#20	University of California-Berkeley	California	43	7
#20	University of California-Los Angeles	California	16	2
#23	Georgetown University	D.C.	2	0
#23	Emory University	Georgia	6	1
#25	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	Michigan	13	4
#27	University of Southern California	California	13	2
#31	New York University	New York	13	7
#34	University of California-Davis	California	13	5
#34	University of California-Irvine	California	21	5
#34	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	Illinois	1	0
#34	Boston University	Massachusetts	12	2
#34	The University of Texas at Austin	Texas	5	3
#44	University of California-Santa Barbara	California	29	4
#44	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	New Jersey	9	2
#44	Ohio State University-Main Campus	Ohio	2	1
#49	University of Rochester	New York	5	3
#49	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	Washington	8	2
#52	University of Georgia	Georgia	6	0
#55	The Pennsylvania State University	Pennsylvania	10	6
#55	Purdue University-Main Campus	Indiana	2	1
#59	Brandeis University	Massachusetts	3	0
#59	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	Massachusetts	20	6
#59	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	Minnesota	2	0
#59	Stony Brook University	New York	2	1
#73	University of Connecticut	Connecticut	19	13
#73	Indiana University-Bloomington	Indiana	3	0
#73	Binghamton University	New York	12	4
#80	University of California-Riverside	California	9	3
#85	Fordham University	New York	4	0
#85	University at Buffalo	New York	2	0
#109	University of California-Santa Cruz	California	103	0
#116	University of Oregon	Oregon	14	2
#116	Brigham Young University-Provo	Utah	4	0
#121	University of Arizona	Arizona	1	0
#121	University of South Carolina-Columbia	South Carolina	5	3
#121	The University of Texas at Dallas	Texas	70	5
#137	California State University--Long Beach	California	10	0
#137	San Diego State University	California	1	0
#156	California State University-Fullerton	California	1	0
#156	CUNY--City College	New York	2	0
#179	CUNY Hunter College	New York	4	0
#191	University of Arkansas	Arkansas	3	1
#202	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	Louisiana	1	1
#227	San Francisco State University	California	8	1
#236	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	New Mexico	1	1
#353	University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras	Puerto Rico	16	0
LAC #1	Williams College	Massachusetts	14	1
LAC #3	Swarthmore College	Pennsylvania	1	0
LAC #10	Wellesley College	Massachusetts	2	0
LAC #19	Barnard College	New York	14	4
LAC #19	Middlebury College	Vermont	3	2
LAC #22	Smith College	Massachusetts	8	2
LAC #26	Haverford College	Pennsylvania	3	0
LAC #31	Bryn Mawr College	Pennsylvania	3	1
LAC #34	Colorado College	Colorado	4	0
LAC #38	Occidental College	California	15	0
LAC #59	Oberlin College	Ohio	8	0
LAC #60	Reed College	Oregon	9	1
—	CUNY Graduate School and University Center	New York	24	12
—	University of Dallas	Texas	3	0
—	University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez	Puerto Rico	3	0