Can you name 10 catchy compare and contrast essay topics? If you can, that’s great! But as practice shows, most students struggle with thinking of this many themes, and when they have to write an essay, they waste days on figuring out what it should be about. Comparing and contrasting something is a frequent task professors of various colleges assign. It entails choosing two or more objects of a common nature and exploring their differences as well as similarities.
The goal of such essays is to stimulate writers’ critical thinking and make them learn the basics of analysis. As time goes on, you’ll be facing more and more complex academic assignments where you’ll have to conduct many-layered research and look into the core of a subject. Comparison & contrast is one of the first stages of work that help develop these skills, so it’s extremely important. But before you proceed, you must settle on an interesting topic. We’re going to assist you in doing that.
Tips for Selecting Topics for Compare and Contrast Essay
So, how to find what to write about? You could always brainstorm with your friends or classmates. Even professors could be of great help — in many cases, they provide lists with topics, so your choice is already limited. But if you’re given an option of researching your own idea, there are some tips that could help you make a decision.
- Think back on your interests. The first rule of essay writing is, choose a topic you like. If you have no interest in the subject, it’s doubtful that you’ll be able to evoke any enthusiasm in your readers. So consider your hobbies or things that make your eyes light up in excitement. Maybe you love reading and feel frustrated because your friends choose computer games over books. Comparing and contrasting these activities could be interesting. Or perhaps you love a country few people know about: compare it against one of the tourists’ favorites. Opportunities are never-ending here.
- Choose the nature of your subject. For this kind of essay, you’ll need objects that fall roughly into the same category. For example, you cannot compare an animal with a fruit because they represent two different spheres with no real similarities. Your topic has to make sense, so select between activities, books, movies, approaches, music styles, etc. You could choose compare and contrast essay topics for kids, high schoolers, or adults — there is virtually endless space for explorations.
- Check your objectivity. An important thing is that you shouldn’t write about a topic that’s too abstract, generic, or personal. The last point seemingly contradicts the first tip (about choosing something you love), but all depends on a good balance here. Being invested in your subject is a must, but being intensely passionate about it might not be the best idea. For instance, if you want to compare two different versions of Sherlock Holmes adaptation, where you hate one but love another, you might lose objectivity. Remember that essays should be academic and evidence-based — your feelings shouldn’t take precedence.
- Look through inspirational lists. You could always consult online lists for getting more tips. You’ll find different ideas there — even if you don’t locate something that fits your interests 100%, you could twist these ideas until they work for you.
100 Unique Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for College Students
We brainstormed and made up 100 possible topics for your exploration. For helping you narrow them down, we further broke them into 10 various categories, so check them all out carefully. Feel free to pick anything you like and change it in accordance with your own preferences.
Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas For College Students
Education has different levels of complexity. If you are a college student, then you might be interested in the following comparison topics.
- Cockney vs. Received Pronunciation: What Makes Them Different?
- How Does College Differ From High School?
- Why Do Some Authors Write Short Stories While Others Prefer Long Ones?
- Difference Between Argumentative and Persuasive Essays: Which Are Easier to Write?
- Tea or Coffee: What Drink Is Healthier
- American vs. Australian System of Education in Terms of Efficiency
- Learning Foreign Language with a Tutor versus By Oneself
- High School and College Parties: What Differentiates Them?
- Funeral Traditions in Different Countries
- Two Cars Competing for the Title of the Safest
Topics For High School Students
Now let’s regard some compare and contrast essay topics for high school students. They are a bit easier than the ones for college level.
- Living with Father or Mother: What Differentiates Such Upbringings?
- How Male Communication Tactics Differs From Female Ones
- What Do Love and Hatred Have in Common & How Are They Different?
- Ice-cream or Cake: Tastier and Healthier Choice
- Using Cars or Riding a Bicycle?
- Academic vs. Fictional Kinds Essays: Common and Different Aspects
- Should Elders Get a Dog or a Cat?
- Adopting Pets versus Buying Them
- Travelling by Car or by Bus: Advantages & Disadvantages
- Chinese vs. Japanese Culture: Intricacies and Stereotypes Surrounding Them
Medical Field
Medicine is a complex and fascinating sphere, especially now, when it’s so relevant. If you like it, check these college level compare contrast essay topics.
- Life Before & After Coronavirus: Main Common and Opposite Features
- Old-Fashioned or Unique Ways of Treatment?
- Medical Education in Australia and US: Complexities and Length
- Eating Ice-Cream During a Cold versus Staying Away From It
- How Doctors Work in Real Life vs. How Their Actions Are Portrayed in Fiction
- Surgeons Operating on Humans & Animals: How Does Their Work Differ?
- Being a Nurse or a Doctor: Scope of Responsibilities & Payment
- Working as a Doctor in Third-World versus First-World Countries
- Compare & Contrast Two Different Medical Universities
- Injections Done by Nurses versus Family Members
Art and Literature Compare and Contrast Essay Topic Ideas
If you are an art lover, look through these ideas for compare and contrast essays. Maybe something will resonate with you: after all, there are billions of books and paintings in the world.
- Bella Swan and Katniss Everdeen: What Makes These Characters Similar & Different?
- Art History of France and Italy: What Unites Them?
- What Helps to Differentiate Between Biography and Autobiography?
- Fiction vs. Nonfiction: What People Prefer Which Genre?
- Art Created by Able and Disabled People
- Popular Artists Now vs. In the Past: What Determined People’s Love for Them?
- Writing by Following a Prompt vs Focusing on One’s Own Ideas
- What Is Constructive & Cruel Criticism?
- Movie and Book With the Same Plot: How Are They Different?
- Working Daily vs. Working Only When Inspiration Strikes
History Compare and Contrast Essay Prompts
There are so many events in history that you could choose practically any good compare and contrast essay topics.
- WW1 Against WW2: What Different and Similar Reasons Did They Have?
- Communism and Fascism: Are There Any Significant Differences or Similarities?
- Obama or Trump: What Was Their Presidency About?
- Two Most Influential Kings in the World: How Could They Be Defined?
- Fascist Germany with the US: What Do These Giant Countries Have in Common?
- How Homosexuality Was Treated Before 2010 and After It
- Female Rights in First-World vs. Third-World Countries
- Queen Victoria vs. King Louis XIV: Differences in Governments
- How Propaganda Worked in 20th & 21st Centuries: Methods and Degrees of Effectiveness
- Two Most Cruel Punishments of the Past and In Modern Times: What Unites Them?
Sports and Games
This sector has lots of funny compare and contrast essay topics. If you like having a good time and want to explore something in this sphere, you might like these options.
- How Sport Was Performed Before & After Covid
- Selling Players versus Buying Players: Principle of Operations
- Teens Who Committed Crimes After Playing Violent Video Games & Those Who Did Not
- Playing Online Games or Physical Ones: Key Linking Elements
- Online sport vs. Physical Sport: How Are They Classified?
- Football in the US & Argentina: Are They the Same?
- Professional Boxing versus Amateur Boxing: Dangers and Rewards
- Chess or Baseball Matches: Levels of Excitement
- Running or Swimming: Ways of Becoming Healthy
- Being a Sportsman or a Fan: Which Is More Exciting?
Psychology Compare and Contrast Topics
Understanding people or reasons for their behaviour is extremely captivating, so if you feel passionate about this sector, choose a similar topic for compare and contrast essay.
- Getting Married & Getting Divorced: Two Natural Life Occurrences
- Children Growing Up in Abusive Households vs. Those From Healthy Families: Life Adjustment
- Mindsets of People Choosing to be Doctors & Killers: What Motivates Them?
- How Poor versus Rich View Life
- What People Think That Dark Fiction Should Be Banned & Which Ones Welcome It
- People Who Quit Their Work versus Those Who Stay No Matter What
- How Girls Treat Their Mothers & How Boys Do That
- Parents Who Punish Children Physically and Those Who Use Psychological Methods
- Bad & Good Psychologists: What Harm They Could Cause
- People Who Scream When Angry vs. People Who Cry Under the Same Circumstances
Philosophical Ideas
Check these compare and contrast topic ideas: philosophy is so full of possibilities that exploring them never gets old.
- Loving Rain & Hating It
- Staying Home or Going to Paris? Pros & Cons
- Fans of Escapism & Those Who Despise It
- Compare & Contrast Two Known Philosophers, Their Ideas, & Beliefs
- People Who Choose Love and Those Choosing Hatred
- Forgiveness & Rejection: Describe Everything That Unites and Differentiates Them
- Real Differences Between People & Animals
- How Philosophy Is Defined in Greece & Russia
- Contrast and Compare Any Three People From Philosophical Viewpoint
- Compare the Most Dangerous Philosophies
Business and Economics Compare and Contrast Essays Topics
Business is a vast as well as controversial sector. We’ve chosen the best compare and contrast essay topics that students could explore.
- Benefits Coming From Honest vs. Dishonest Business Strategies
- Compare Two Economic Principles
- Starting Company in Ukraine & in Britain
- Poor & Good Economy: How to Tell a Difference?
- Going to Business School or Self-Teaching Oneself?
- Strategies Used by the Poorest vs. the Richest Firms
- Contrast & Compare Two Prominent Businessman : How They Reached Success
- Compare How Old & New Economics Function
- Analyze Two Different Business Models
- People Interested in Economy and Those Bored By It
Technology and Social Media Ideas
It is difficult to find a person who wouldn’t be using technology or social platforms these days. Look at these easy compare and contrast essay topics — you might like some of them!
- iPhone or Smartphone: What Is More Popular & Convenient?
- Facebook or Twitter: Compare Their Target Group
- Possibilities Offered by Tumblr vs. Facebook
- Having Friends Online or Having Them in Real Life?
- Writing Essay by Yourself & Having Someone Do It Instead
- Online Editions of Newspapers & Their Physical Copies
- Calling or Texting: Which Way Is Better & More Useful?
- People Working from Home & Those Working in Offices: Who Is More Satisfied?
- Paying for Discs or Pirating Movies: Advantages & Disadvantages
- Paying for Online or Physical Ads: Benefits
Choose Among Good Compare and Contrast Topics
Writing an essay could be interesting as long as you enjoy your research. With how many things surround us, choosing a topic for an essay is far easier than it seems. Look around yourself: what are your hobbies? What are things that you argued about or wanted to explore? Make them into a topic. If you’re feeling you cannot cope on your own, turn to the Internet: this platform is vital because it could boost your creativity together with inspiration. Find a comparison and contrast topic you love and you’ll see how enjoyable essay writing could be.
