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80 Intriguing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Android vs. iPhone? Capitalism vs. communism? Hot dog vs. taco?

In compare and contrast essays , writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. Remind students that in this type of writing, they’re not necessarily trying to sway the reader to one opinion or another—they’re just presenting and analyzing facts. These compare and contrast essay topics will give them plenty of practice.

• School and Life Essay Topics
• Entertainment Essay Topics
• History and Politics Essay Topics
• Just for Fun Essay Topics

School and Life Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

• Public and private schools
• Online school and in-person school
• Any two schools or colleges
• Going to college vs. starting work full-time

• Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
• Parents and grandparents
• Elementary school and high school
• Learning to read vs. learning to write
• The importance of any two school subjects
• Wearing glasses vs. having braces
• You and your best friend
• Friendship vs. romantic love

• Group work and individual work
• Only child vs. having siblings
• Nature vs. nurture
• Anxiety and depression
• Old friends and new friends
• Your teacher vs. your parent/guardian
• Car ownership and public transportation

• Learning to ride a bike vs. learning to drive a car

Entertainment Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

• iPhone vs. Android
• Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)
• Xbox vs. PlayStation

• Any two sports, like American football vs. soccer
• Cooking at home and dining out
• A movie based on a book and the book it was based on
• Reading and watching TV
• Opera music and pop music (or any two music genres)
• Vegetarian and vegan

• Giving and receiving gifts
• Going to a play vs. going to a movie
• Playing a video game and watching a movie
• Horse racing vs. NASCAR
• Laptop vs. tablet
• Sprint vs. marathon
• Poetry and rap music
• Ping-Pong vs. tennis
• DC vs. Marvel
• Netflix and YouTube
• Shopping online and shopping in person

History and Politics Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

• Capitalism vs. communism
• Socialism vs. communism
• Monarchy/dictatorship and democracy
• Two political candidates in a current race

• Spanish flu pandemic vs. COVID-19 pandemic
• World War I and World War II
• American pioneers vs. first space explorers
• Gen X vs. Gen Z
• Abraham Lincoln vs. Barack Obama (or any other two presidents)
• Any two U.S. states

• Any two historic eras
• Queen Elizabeth I vs. Queen Elizabeth II
• Republicans and Democrats
• Hitler and Stalin
• The first airplane flight vs. the first manned spaceflight
• American president vs. U.K. prime minister

• Fox News vs. CNN
• Legislative branch and executive branch and/or judicial branch
• Equality and equity
• Elected politicians vs. lobbyists

Just for Fun Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

• Dogs vs. cats as pets

• Paper books or e-books
• Hot dogs vs. tacos
• Summer and winter
• Fall and spring
• Big Mac vs. Whopper
• Coke vs. Pepsi
• Chocolate shake vs. hot chocolate
• Any two superheroes or villains
• Mondays and Fridays
• Mornings vs. evenings

• First day of school vs. last day of school
• Christmas vs. birthdays
• Hurricane vs. tornado
• Birthday as a kid and birthday as an adult
• Going barefoot vs. wearing shoes
• Appetizers and desserts

• Phone calls and texting
• Pants vs. skirts
• Electric cars vs. gas-powered cars

What are some of your favorite compare and contrast essay topics? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas).

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34 Compelling Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

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Sometimes you just need a jumpstart to start writing your essay – a list of compare and contrast topics. You came to the right place! We’ve got a lot of awesome ideas to choose from! Feel free to pick one of them or compare them with your own experience and generate even better ideas. This way you can be sure your school or college teacher appreciates your creativity!

What Is a Compare and Contrast Essay?

Let’s start with defining a meaning of  compare and contrast essay . Such types of writing are typically built around some outstanding or controversial subject which can be viewed from many sides. A subject can also be analyzed in comparison with other options of that kind. In this type of paper, you should highlight the contrasting aspects of a topic or the differences between some options.  

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics: How to Choose?

Picking appropriate topics for compare and contrast essay can sometimes be challenging for students. A good way to do that is making a list of several things you know well so that you would be able to say a lot about differences between them. E.g., cats vs dogs or ‘boomers’ vs. the Generation Z. Then choose the one which matches your academic field best and go on!  

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

You are lucky as we’ve done this first step for you! Here you can find lots of topics to compare and contrast for an essay. These ideas are picked from good books or from best student works available on the Web. They are divided into different topic categories, so you can choose one and then check it for worthy ideas. Another great idea is paying someone to write your essay . Don't forget to give StudyCrumb a look! Keep in mind that we have different lists of topics for various essay types. Looking for classification and division essay topics  or problem solution topics ? You will find them here.

Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Regardless of which field you are best in, history or math, we’ve got a few universal ideas for you to write an excellent essay. Check out these best compare and contrast essay topics and pick one – or come up with your own great idea.

• Being famous vs being wealthy.
• Forced lockdown versus recommended quarantine.
• Traditional classes versus online education.
• Your current home vs a house of your dreams.
• Working at home or in the office.
• Similarities between human beings & chimps.
• Plato & Socrates: their similarities & differences.
• Sociology versus psychology.
• Fiction or non-fiction books.
• British vs American English.

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Funny Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Some good laugh would never harm the acceptance of your writing. Be it summer or winter, most people love having fun, so take a look at these funny compare and contrast essay topics.

• Harry Potter vs Ronald Weasley: who is cooler?
• Doing laundry or washing dishes: what would you drop?
• Elders vs young people: differences in lifestyle.
• Selfies versus traditional photos.
• Email vs pigeon post.
• Receiving or giving presents: which is more satisfying?
• Life in a big city versus living on a farm.
• Simpsons vs the South Park.
• Texting or talking to friends?
• Hulk vs Superman: who would win?

Coudn't find a topic for compare and contrast essay? Give our Topic Generator a try.

Good Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Do you need some universal ideas for a winning essay? Here you can find a number of good compare and contrast essay topics which can be utilized for nearly any academic field. They focus on general life problems and follow some general ideas of renowned writers or philosophers. Let's explore them in detail.

Unique Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Pick one of these unique compare and contrast essay topics to talk about some special contrasting occurrence in your life or some other subjects different from traditional problems of our society.

• Best day vs worst day in my life.
• Best job & worst job choices.
• Living with parents vs living alone.
• My experience with iPhones or Android phones.
• My favorite romantic movie vs my favorite comedy.
• Advantages & disadvantages of self-education.
• My daytime vs nighttime activities.
• Low carb diet versus vegetarian diet (or any other diet of your choice).
• My best friend versus my worst enemy.
• Online vs real-life interaction, according to my experience.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students

If you are a student, your topic of choice may vary depending on what class you are in. At each age students have different life interests and study in different academic fields. We have collected a set of pre-selected compare and contrast essay topics for different age groups. You can choose to write about education and maybe you would prefer talking about your hobbies – such subjects can be found below.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics Middle School

Let’s take a look at these compare and contrast essay topics for middle school. Check them out carefully and pick one best related to your field of studies or the one your teacher would like. As a student, you don’t have to write about education only: the subject also can be your family, nature, your dreams, etc. Pay attention to compare and contrast essay outline as it is very crucial for writing such kind of task.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 6th Grade

Let’s start with compare and contrast essay topics for 6th grade. If you are in this grade, you could write about your life or lives of your ancestors, family members, friends or historical figures you’ve read about. You could also discuss some well-known problems of the world.

• Pursuing your life goals or following others?
• Selfish or selfless.
• Advantages & disadvantages of migrating to a new country.
• Feeling different vs feeling the same as others.
• Your best & your worst moment(s) in life.
• Protagonist & antagonist in your favorite book.
• Homework or leisure time after school.
• Wartime & peaceful times (you can pick a period from your country's history).
• Your first & your last day in elementary school.
• Talking to a friend vs talking to a stranger.

7th Grade Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Here are several 7th grade compare and contrast essay topics. At this age students are usually expected to write about people, history, video games or other leisure activities. Pick one and write your essay without spending too much time.

• Starting & ending your typical school day.
• Your favorite movie vs the book it was based upon.
• Your mom & your dad (you may describe their daily routines).
• Your favorite cookie vs your favorite soup.
• Daily outfit versus holiday outfit.
• Walking along a familiar path vs discovering new places.
• Compare your house today & your house 100 years ago.
• Sunny weather vs rain (or snow).
• Riding a school bus vs going to school by car.
• Walking in a forest vs walking by the seaside.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 8th Grade

Check out our pre-selected compare and contrast essay topics for 8th grade. Such subjects can be picked when doing research in modern media or analyzing popular books. Feel free to choose among them.

• Being a part of a community vs being an outcast.
• Natural science vs liberal arts: what is more useful for your career?
• Accomplishments vs failures.
• Celebrating historical events: pros & cons.
• Adventure or attention: what would you prefer?
• AI technology: pros & risks.
• Half-empty or half-full glass?
• Being fast learner vs being naturally gifted at something.
• Pros & cons of getting older.
• Career in a private corporation or in the government sector?

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for High-School Students

Here you can find several suggestions for compare and contrast essay topics for high school. You can pick one that is most closely related to your area of interest. Use that idea to write an excellent work your teacher would love.

• Having a bike vs having a car.
• Studying at home or studying abroad.
• Childhood friendship or high school friendship.
• Diet or workout: which approach is better?
• Facebook or Twitter.
• Office work vs freelance.
• Living in poverty or being rich.
• Childhood & adulthood.
• Tea or coffee.
• Science or superstitions.
• Family traditions or national traditions.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for College

Finally let’s check out what senior level students would write about. We have several categories of pre-selected compare and contrast essay topics. College level essays are typically discussing more complicated matters as students are entering adult life. This can be about making money, pushing your career in a selected academic field, household problems, making food and so on.

Psychology Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

We will start with Psychology compare and contrast essay topics. You could use them for writing texts where you voice and prove your opinion about important psychological problems. Besides, you can just describe some phenomena that are similar to each other.

• Anthropologist vs psychologist (or sociologist).
• Anxiety vs depression.
• Ego vs superego.
• Anorexia vs bulimia.
• Agoraphobia vs claustrophobia.
• Panic attack vs phobia.
• Suicide vs homicide.
• Affection vs infatuation.
• Autism vs Down syndrome.
• B. F. Skinner theory Vs. John B. Watson theory.
• Physical vs mental needs of a human.

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Sports Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

This section contains some compare and contrast essay topics about sports. Sport plays an important role in students’ life, not only improving their fitness and preparing them for health tests but also helping to build social connections. Let’s see if you find here a proper topic for yourself:

• Chess vs Checkers.
• Aikido or judo.
• Snowboarding vs surfing (you might also choose skiing or other related sports).
• Ice climbing vs traditional climbing.
• Baseball or cricket.
• Rugby vs soccer.
• Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
• Roger Federer Vs. Rafael Nadal.
• Women’s football or men’s football.
• Tennis or badminton.

Biology: Topics for Compare and Contrast Essay

This section contains a few biology topics for compare and contrast essay you could use. They include health related subjects which are relevant for all people. Besides you could write about life of organisms in general:

• Drugs vs herbs (or other natural alternatives).
• Warm blooded vs cold blooded animals.
• Surgery or therapy.
• Vaccination vs medications.
• Plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery.
• Cell replication vs cell division.
• Autoimmune disease vs autoinflammatory disease.
• Bacteria or viruses.
• Antibiotics vs antiviral drugs.
• Clinic vs hospital.
• Morning exercise vs evening exercise.

Topics to Write Compare and Contrast Essay About Computer Science

Let’s conclude our series of suggestions with a list of compare and contrast essay topics on computer science. Such essays could describe your work, how to do program or just talk about the place of technologies in your life.

• Programming vs testing.
• HTML or CSS.
• Windows or Mac.
• Computer-generated imagery vs computer animation.
• GIF versus video format.
• Chrome or Opera (or other browsers).
• Fiber optic cable or coaxial cable.
• Desktop vs laptop.
• SSD hard drive vs SSD.
• Windows 8 vs Windows 10 (you can also pick older operations systems).

Easy Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Why not start from something simple and understandable for anyone in the world? Here you can find easy compare and contrast essay topics. They could help you with writing a simple essay very quickly. How about starting with such easy things like pets, games or movies? Let's dive into this list of ideas and see if you could pick anything nice here.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids

Subjects that juniors would like to write about are not similar to those for college students. Here are some compare and contrast essay topics for kids - the things in the world that kids like. Time to explore them!

• Reading books vs watching movies.
• Superhero movies or comedies.
• Do you prefer Marvel or DC comics?
• Chocolate or ice-cream.
• Do you prefer cold or hot weather?
• What do you prefer for breakfast: cereal or bacon & eggs?
• Coke vs Pepsi (or choose your own favorite drinks).
• Fruits or vegetables: what is your choice?
• Pencil drawing vs painting.
• Compare two of your favorite movies.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Elementary Students

School children are expected to choose more complicated subjects. Let's take a look at compare and contrast essay topics for elementary students. They typically include some reflections on studying or detailed descriptions of the behavior of a dog (or some other animal).

• Best pets: cats or dogs.
• Animal behavior: wild or domesticated.
• Winter holidays vs summer holidays.
• Studying remotely or going to your class.
• Family or friends.
• Sweet vs salty food.
• Compare your two favorite kinds of sports.
• Happy end vs sad end in books (or movies).
• Short hair vs long hair.
• Going to seaside or camping in forest.

Compare and Contrast Essay About Animals: Topics

One of the best choices for a winning essay is picking up a good animal related subject. Here are a few ideas on compare and contrast essay (of animals) topics that you could use. There are lots of curious creatures aside from dogs and cats, and writing about one of them could help to captivate your audience.

• Northern versus southern animals.
• Tiger vs bear: who would win.
• Plants versus mushrooms.
• Visual differences between edible and inedible mushrooms.
• Insects vs spiders: who is the worst roommate.
• River versus marine animals.
• Apes versus monkeys.
• Bees versus wasps.
• Migratory versus resident birds.
• Parrot or canary, which one is a better pet?

Interesting Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

A key success factor for a writer is captivating their audience. The first step towards that is picking a subject that would fuel their curiosity. We have found some really interesting compare and contrast essay topics which step away from traditional school subjects. These ideas are a result of various successful books as well as online research. Feel free to pick one that you find contrasting enough.

Controversial Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

It is natural for people to argue about things. And sometimes a great idea can be born from an argument. Below are several controversial compare and contrast essay topics. Feel free to pick one if you would like to invite your audience to an argument:

• Pros & cons of being alone.
• Being an only child versus having many siblings.
• Creationism against atheism.
• Meat diet or veganism.
• Participating in political activities vs staying neutral.
• Positive & negative aspects of nuclear weapon.
• Free speech vs censure in the Internet.
• Pros & cons of death penalty.
• Private vs state-owned schools.
• Progressive tax system vs flat tax system.

Art History: Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

If you are fond of history and prefer to write about beautiful examples made by humans, consider picking from these art history compare and contrast essay topics. After all, art is immortal so you don’t need to collect only the most up-to-date data for such a subject.

• Shakespeare: a real person or a myth?
• Roman or Greek mythology.
• Eastern or western architecture in Mediterranean (you can also pick any other region with different cultural influences).
• Impressionism vs Expressionism.
• Opera or ballet.
• Mosaic or Fresco.
• Medieval or Renaissance art.
• Baroque or Neoclassicism.
• 19th vs 20th century music.
• Classical music vs jazz.
• Rock vs pop music.

Final Thoughts on Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas

Sure thing, these are far from all compare and contrast essay topics available out there. But hopefully, you have found at least one good idea to get started. Use any of these topics to generate a more specific idea for your assignment. 

Remember, these topics are just a small taste of what we have to offer. Whether you need evaluative essay topics or cause and effect topics , we've got you covered.

Buy college essay online from our writers to prevent yourself from stressing out tonight. Our academic experts are always there to help you craft a unique compare and contrast essay on any topic.

FAQ About Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas

1. what are some compare and contrast essay topics for the 4th grade.

You can use the following compare and contrast essay topics for the 4th grade:

• Some children like to play outdoors while others prefer indoors.
• Literature is your favorite subject while you dislike Mathematics.
• You love visiting your relatives during vacations but you don’t like guests in your own house.

2. What are the compare and contrast essay topics for teenagers?

Here are some helpful examples of compare and contrast essay topics for teenagers:

• Online tuitions or home tuitions.
• Getting a college degree or getting a job.
• Spending money on education vs spending money on fun.

You can also come up with similar topics related to the problems of that age.

3. What are some compare and contrast essay topics on history?

Here are several examples of compare and contrast essay topics of history:

• Democracy vs. monarchy.
• World War I & World War II.
• Renaissance vs. Baroque epoch.

Pick a proper topic for your essay and try to explain your point to your audience as plain as possible.

4. What are some compare and contrast essay topics on culture?

A few compare and contrast essay topics on culture:

• The difference between a marriage & a civil union.
• The difference between living on campus & living off campus.
• Two most profitable goods & services markets.

You need to include details into your text and explain the differences using examples.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Compare and Contrast College Essay Topics

We've all been there. You've been assigned an essay of your choosing. Where do you even begin?

How about with a compare and contrast essay ?

Compare and contrast is a great tactic to use when you're stuck searching for an essay topic. These essays follow a relatively easy pattern, and, fortunately, there is no shortage of ideas for subjects to compare and contrast.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Once you've decided to write a compare and contrast essay, you'll need some ideas. Like we mentioned above, there are so many topics available that you can easily analyze in this type of essay format.

Of course, the flip side of this is that there are so many options...how do you know what to pick?

Our advice: Start by choosing an overarching topic that fits within your personal interests (think art, history, music, science, etc.).

Once you've identified the topic you want to cover, you can begin making a list of subjects under that topic you can potentially write about.

Here's a list of topics and subjects under each topic to help get your brainstorming kickstarted.

Interested in History?

• Periods of history (Dark Ages vs. Middle Ages, before vs. after the Civil War)
• World governments (Swiss vs. U.S. governments, Iraqi vs. Chinese governments)
• Types of government (democracy vs. socialism, dictatorship vs. oligarchy)
• Wars (World War I vs. World War II, Vietnam vs. Korean War)
• Presidents (Trump vs. Nixon, Kennedy vs. Clinton)
• Types of leaders (Presidents vs. dictators, senators vs. members of congress)
• Specific leaders (Hitler vs. Stalin, Napoleon vs. Charlemagne)
• Tragedies (9/11 vs. D-Day, Hiroshima vs. Chernobyl)

Interested in Reading and Language Arts?

• Characters in a play (Willy Loman vs. Evan Hansen, Lady Macbeth vs. Lady MacDuff)
• Characters in a novel (Jay Gatsby vs. Tom Buchanan, Boo Ridley vs. Scout)
• Books (1984 vs. The Handmaid's Tale, Lord of the Rings vs. Harry Potter)
• Plays (Macbeth vs. Hamlet, Death of a Salesman vs. Fences)
• Authors (J.K. Rowling vs. J. R. Tolkien, Jeannette Walls vs. Tara Westover)
• Poets (Keats vs. Wordsworth, Dickinson vs. Akhmatova)
• Speeches (Gettysburg Address vs. I Have a Dream, Duties of American Citizenship vs. JFK's Inauguration Address)
• Languages (British vs. American English, France French vs. Canadian French)

Interested in Fine Arts?

• Periods of art (Renaissance vs. Impressionist, Baroque vs. Romanticism)
• Musical genres (Hip-hop vs. Jazz, Country vs. Bluegrass)
• Artists (Picasso vs. Dali, Cassatt vs. O'Keefe)
• Singers (Sinatra vs. Lady Gaga, The Beatles vs. The Backstreet Boys)
• Methods of art (murals vs. statues, watercolor vs. pastels)

Interested in Religion?

• Religions (Islam vs. Christianity, Hindu vs. Judaism)
• Religious leaders (Pope Francis vs. Dalai Lama, Archibishop Tutu vs. Billy Graham)
• Philosophers (Socrates vs. Plato, Locke vs. Rousseau)
• Religious ideas (reincarnation vs. resurrection, heaven vs. purgatory)
• Texts (Bible vs. Quran, Talmud vs. Tipitaka)

Interested in Science?

• Energy (solar vs. wind, nuclear vs. chemical)
• Animals (reptiles vs. amphibians, polar bears vs. black bears)
• Planets (Earth vs. Mars, Jupiter vs. Saturn)
• Innovators (Elon Musk vs. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates vs. Stephen Hawking)
• Disasters (tsunamis vs. hurricanes, earthquakes vs. tornados)

Interested in Popular Culture?

• Television Shows (Friends vs. New Girl, Simpsons vs. Family Guy)
• Games (board games vs. online, violent vs. non-violent)
• Fashion (1970s vs. 1990s, 1960s vs. 1980s)
• Movies (Rocky vs. Creed, The Green Mile vs. Shawshank Redemption)
• Comedians (Dave Chapelle vs. Eddie Murphy, Ellen DeGeneres vs. Sarah Silverman)
• Actors (Tom Hanks vs. Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep vs. Octavia Spencer)

Interested in Debates?

• Online education vs. on-campus education
• Homeschooling vs. traditional education
• Online vs. face-to-face communication
• Male vs. female genders
• Nature vs. nurture
• Creation vs. evolution

Each of these lists could go on and on. You can also narrow many of these ideas down even further to be more specific.

Take homeschooling vs. traditional education, for example. You could narrow the focus of your essay to cover the career paths of students who come from a homeschooling background vs. those who come from traditional education.

Still need help brainstorming? Get even more ideas by looking at examples of compare and contrast essays . As a bonus, this step will also give you a better idea of how this type of essay should be written.

There are numerous essay examples to show how others have crafted compare and contrast essays. A step-by-step breakdown of an essay is provided on some sites. (Check out EAP Foundation's site to get you started.) Other sites offer a variety of compare and contrast essay examples, such as this academic help site .

Just remember to keep your topic broad enough that you can write an entire essay on the topic that includes a full argument.

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

After choosing the ideal topic for you, there are a few simple steps to help you get started in writing your essay.

1. Draw a Venn diagram

The whole point of a compare and contrast essay is to cover the similarities and differences of two ideas. A Venn diagram is an easy way to help you begin identifying what those are.

What overlaps in your two ideas? What's completely different? What are some linking ideas that you can use to tie these two ideas together?

Plot these thoughts out to see where your essay is heading.

2. Make a simple outline

Next, take your list of similarities and differences you've identified and place them in an outline. A basic outline is: introduction, compare, contrast, conclusion. Where do your Venn diagram thoughts belong?

Most students skip over this step, but an outline is actually a crucial part of the writing process. Not only does it help you to organize your thoughts, but it actually will save you time in the writing and editing process later on.

So do yourself a favor: create an outline.

3. Use compare and contrast words

Have a list ready of compare and contrast words to use when you start your writing.

Common compare words include: like, as well as, similar to, similarly, and in common. Contrast words include: although, yet, contrary to, in contrast, and however. It's important to vary your words, so pepper a variety of these words throughout the essay.

Compare and contrast essays are a great option when you have to come up with your own writing topic. With limitless topic choices and a relatively simple format, these essays can be a great way to show off your writing skills and to celebrate your interests in a variety of diverse topics.

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150 Comparison Essay Topics

The process of writing a comparison essay starts with the identification of two or more objects, people, events, etc., that are being studied. Then, once the similarities and differences have been identified, they need to be written about clearly and concisely.

Is Writing a Comparison Essay Difficult?

Even with superb writing skills, crafting an original and unique comparison essay can be challenging for many students.

Because a comparison essay is supposed to be unbiased, students often find it challenging to remain that way. The point of a comparison essay isn’t to argue a particular point of view. Instead, it is to simply and honestly assess and describe similarities and differences between two or more objects.

And since a comparison essay typically entails writing about both the similarities and differences between two or more objects, students may find it challenging to come up with enough points of comparison.

What Is the Best Way to Write a Comparison Essay?

Writing a comparison essay requires both creativity and analysis. By combining the two, students can best identify similarities and differences between two or more objects.

Having a checklist of points to consider can be an effective way to conduct comparisons. To write a comparison essay, students need to focus on the following:

Similarities

While identifying similarities between two or more objects may seem easier than pointing out differences, students need to be careful not to list off similarities without providing any analysis.

For example, if a student was writing a comparison essay about two cars, they might mention that both cars have four doors and seats for five people. However, simply noting the similarities between two objects is not enough.

Students need to probe a little deeper and ask themselves why the similarities exist to make an effective comparison. For example, in the case of the two cars, students might ask themselves why car manufacturers are designing vehicles with four doors and seats for five people. What are the benefits of doing so?

Differences

Identifying differences between two or more objects is often more difficult than finding similarities.

When identifying differences between objects, students need to be careful not to simply list off the differences without providing any analysis or explanation. For example, a student might say that a Ferrari car is expensive and a Ford Focus car is inexpensive. However, a one-sentence description of the difference between two objects doesn’t present any significant information.

To effectively compare two or more objects, students need to focus their attention on the “why” behind each difference. For example, they might ask themselves why one car is expensive while another is inexpensive. What are some of the factors that contribute towards its price? What materials does it consist of?

How to Write a Comparison Essay Conclusion

Writing a comparison essay starts with creating a detailed outline examining the similarities and differences between two or more objects.

Once the differences and similarities have been established, students can move on to crafting an introduction that details:

• The topic being covered
• Relevant background information
• Thesis statement

The introduction is often considered the most crucial part of an essay as it serves to entice the reader and make them want to continue reading.

The body of the comparison essay should then follow with a section that addresses each difference and similarity listed in the outline. Students should spend equal time discussing similarities and differences as a comparison essay is supposed to be balanced.

This means that if a student spends five paragraphs discussing one object’s similarities, they will need to spend five paragraphs discussing the other object’s differences.

The conclusion of a comparison essay should summarize the information that has been covered and leave the reader with some final thoughts. It is also a good idea to restate the thesis statement differently to remind the reader of what was being compared.

Key Tips for Writing a Comparison Essay

To ensure that a comparison essay is well-written, it’s essential to follow a few key pieces of advice so that you are on the right track.

1. Be Unbiased

When comparing two or more objects, it is important to be unbiased and not favor one object over the other. This means that students need to present information in a fair and even manner.

2. Use Evidence

In order to strengthen a comparison, students need to use evidence in the form of examples, data, and statistics. This will help support the points that are being made and make the essay more persuasive.

3. Stay Focused

When writing a comparison essay, staying focused on the topic at hand is essential. This means that students should avoid straying off-topic and including irrelevant information in their essay.

The following 150 comparison essay topics are great prompts for students to explore the similarities and differences between two or more objects, concepts, or ideas.

Comparison Essay Topics About Math

• The similarities and differences between addition and subtraction.
• The similarities and differences between multiplication and division.
• The similarities and differences between fractions and decimals.
• The similarities and differences between percentages and fractions.
• The similarities and differences between positive and negative numbers.
• The similarities and differences between integers and real numbers.
• The similarities and differences between rational and irrational numbers.
• The similarities and differences between square roots and cube roots.
• The similarities and differences between radicals and algebraic expressions.
• The similarities and differences between order of operations and algebraic equations.
• Comparing and contrasting basic and advanced math concepts.
• Theoretical math concepts vs. their real-world applications.
• The similarities and differences between geometry, algebra, calculus, statistics, etc.

Comparison Essay Topics About Language Arts

• The similarities and differences between poetry and prose.
• The similarities and differences between fiction and nonfiction books.
• The similarities and differences between an argumentative essay vs. an informative essay.
• The similarities and differences between satire and comedy.
• The similarities and differences between daily journaling vs. blogging.
• The similarities and differences between writing with correct punctuation, grammar, syntax, etc., vs. using slang words in an essay or other written piece of work.
• Writing in first-person vs. writing in the third person.
• The similarities and differences between a book report and a research paper.
• Comparing and contrasting modern literature to classical literature.
• The similarities and differences between summarizing and paraphrasing.
• Choosing to write about a personal experience vs. writing about a fictional event.
• The similarities and differences between western and easter poetry styles.

Comparison Essay Topics About History

• The similarities and differences between the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece.
• The similarities and differences between the American Revolution and French Revolution.
• The similarities and differences between colonization in Latin America vs. Canada/the United States.
• The similarities and differences between colonization in Australia vs. South Africa, India, Japan, etc.
• The similarities and differences between Ancient China vs. Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, etc.
• The similarities and differences between the Middle Ages vs. The Renaissance.
• Comparing and contrasting events such as the Battle of Hastings to Haiti’s Battle of Vertieres.
• Comparing and contrasting two wars in history.
• The similarities and differences between a monarchy vs. a democracy/republic.
• The similarities and differences between communism, socialism, and fascism.
• The similarities and differences between the Cold War vs. The Great War.
• The similarities and differences between Vikings and samurai.
• The similarities and differences between the Union vs. the Confederacy.
• Comparing modern countries with that of their past empires (i.e., India, China, Greece, etc.).
• Examining the similarities and differences between two of history’s worst people.

Comparison Essay Topics About Science

• The similarities and differences between atoms and molecules.
• The similarities and differences between the Bohr model of the atom and the quantum mechanical model of the atom.
• The similarities and differences between elements and compounds.
• The similarities and differences between ionic bonding and covalent bonding.
• The similarities and differences between acids and bases.
• The similarities and differences between the scientific method and the research paper method.
• The similarities and differences between science and technology.
• The similarities and differences between types of wave energy, such as electromagnetic radiation vs. sound/vibrational energy.
• Comparing and contrasting the Big Bang Theory with Creationism or Intelligent Design.
• Exploring the similarities and differences between different scientific theories, including gravity, evolution, and plate tectonics.
• The similarities and differences between the way scientists are portrayed in popular culture vs. how other scientists truly view them.
• Exploring the similarities and differences between different categories of stars.
• The similarities and differences of colonies of cells vs. colonies of ants/bees.
• The similarities and differences between a tornado and an earthquake.
• The science behind different types of cloud formations-cumulus, cirrus, cumulonimbus, etc.
• Comparing and contrasting weather phenomena such as lightning to volcanoes or tornadoes and hurricanes and earthquakes and tsunamis.

Comparison Essay Topics About Arts and Culture

• The similarities and differences between the Broadway musical and the Hollywood movie.
• The similarities and differences between traditional art and digital art.
• The similarities and differences between theater and cinema.
• The similarities and differences between classical music and rock music.
• The similarities and differences between literature written before the 1800s and literature written after the 1800s.
• The similarities and differences between art from different parts of the world, such as Africa, Europe, Asia, etc.
• Comparing two different types of dance – ballet vs. hip-hop.
• Comparing two different types of architecture-Gothic vs. Renaissance.
• Comparing two different eras in fashion-Victorian vs. Rococo.
• Examining the similarities and differences between two different types of movies, such as a comedy and a drama.
• Comparing the works of two different authors, such as Shakespeare and Hemingway.
• Comparing two different types of writing – a sonnet to a haiku.
• The similarities and differences between theater and stand-up comedy.
• Exploring the similarities and differences between artistic movements, such as impressionism vs. cubism.
• The similarities and differences between modernism and postmodernism.
• Comparing and contrasting the work of two different painters, such as da Vinci and Rembrandt.
• The similarities and differences between two different types of photography-still life vs. portrait.
• Comparing and contrasting the work of two different sculptors, such as Michelangelo and Rodin.
• Examining the similarities and differences between sculpture and photography.
• Comparing two different eras of film-Romantic vs. Realist.
• The similarities and differences between architecture during the late 1800s to early 1900s, such as Art Nouveau, Beaux-Arts, etc., to architecture today.
• The similarities and differences between two different types of fashion-the 1950s vs. the 2010s.
• The similarities and differences between food from two different parts of the world-Mexico vs. Japan.
• Exploring the similarities and differences between popular culture in the United States and other countries.
• The similarities and differences between music from two different parts of the world-Europe vs. South America.

Comparison Essay Topics About Health & Medicine

• The similarities and differences between the way different cultures view illness and health.
• The science behind different types of medicine, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, etc.
• The benefits and drawbacks of various medical treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, etc.
• The similarities and differences between mental health and physical health.
• The pros and cons of taking medication for mental health vs. taking medicines for physical health.
• The benefits and drawbacks of using alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, etc.
• The effects of stress on mental and physical health.
• The pros and cons of different diets, such as paleo, juicing, veganism, etc.
• The similarities and differences between the way different cultures view mental health.
• Exploring the benefits of different types of physical activity-walking vs. running vs. yoga.
• Comparing two different kinds of surgery-cosmetic surgery vs. organ transplantation surgery.
• The pros and cons of using different birth control methods, such as the pill vs. condoms.
• Comparing two different types of therapy-psychotherapy vs. inpatient treatment center.
• The similarities and differences between different types of prescription medication-antidepressants, ADHD medication, painkillers, etc.
• The pros and cons of organ donation.
• The benefits and drawbacks of genetic testing.
• The pros and cons of getting a flu shot.
• The effects of air pollution on human health.
• Examining the history of public health campaigns, such as anti-smoking campaigns or polio vaccine campaigns.

Comparison Essay Topics About Technology

• The pros and cons of using technology in the classroom.
• The benefits and drawbacks of using technology for work.
• The advantages and disadvantages of using various different types of technology
• How different generations use technology differently.
• The impact of technology on social interactions vs. leisurely activities.
• The similarities and differences of how technology affects children and adults.

Comparison Essay Topics About Economics, Finance, & Business

• The similarities and differences between capitalism and socialism.
• Examining the differences and similarities between fascism and socialism.
• The impact of different economic policies on a country’s GDP.
• The similarities and differences between entrepreneurship and small business.
• The pros and cons of starting a business in the current economy.
• Comparison between two different types of businesses
• Comparing the effects of globalization on two or more foreign countries.
• Comparing and contrasting real estate investment vs. stock market investment.
• Examining the benefits and drawbacks of freelancing v. remote work.

Comparison Essay Topics About Education

• The benefits and drawbacks of homeschooling vs. traditional schooling.
• The pros and cons of online learning vs. traditional learning.
• The advantages and disadvantages of using standardized tests vs. other tests
• The pros and cons of attending a private school vs. a public school.
• The pros and cons of going to college for undergraduate vs. graduate degrees.
• Compare and contrast two different types of teachers.
• Early childhood education vs. after-school enrichment programs.
• The benefits and drawbacks of competitive learning vs. cooperative learning.
• Comparing two different methods of classroom management.

Comparison Essay Topics About Pop Culture

• The similarities and differences between the music of Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.
• Pop culture today vs. Pop culture 50 years ago.
• Comparing two different reality shows
• Comparing the similarities and differences between two different types of movies
• The fundamental differences between news and entertainment media.
• Examining the similarities and differences between two different celebrities
• Comparing two different books in a series
• Comparing two different TV shows

Comparison Essay Topics About Life

• The benefits and drawbacks of being single vs. being in a relationship.
• Comparing the similarities and differences of having a biological child v. adopting
• The benefits and disadvantages of traveling solo vs. traveling with a group.
• The advantages and disadvantages of moving work v. for other reasons
• The similarities and differences between urban living and suburban living.
• Examining the benefits and downsides of making a big purchase vs. investing money
• The advantages and disadvantages of going on vacation vs. staying home
• Comparing the similarities and differences between two different life paths.

Comparison Essay Topics About Nature & Biology

• Comparing the digestive systems of humans & dogs.
• The benefits and drawbacks of being a carnivore vs. an herbivore.
• The advantages and disadvantages of having four limbs vs. two limbs.
• Comparing the abilities of different animals, such as birds, fish, and insects.
• Examining the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells.
• Comparing the anatomy of two different types of creatures.
• The difference between wild animals and domesticated animals.
• Comparing photosynthesis in plants to respiration in animals.
• The benefits and drawbacks of being a mammal vs. an amphibian vs. a reptile.
• The similarities and differences between humans and chimpanzees.

Feel free to take any of these 150 comparison essay topics and make them your own. Remember that comparison essay topics can be about anything as long as it examines the similarities and differences between two or more objects, people, places, ideas, etc.

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Comparing and Contrasting

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you first to determine whether a particular assignment is asking for comparison/contrast and then to generate a list of similarities and differences, decide which similarities and differences to focus on, and organize your paper so that it will be clear and effective. It will also explain how you can (and why you should) develop a thesis that goes beyond “Thing A and Thing B are similar in many ways but different in others.”

Introduction

In your career as a student, you’ll encounter many different kinds of writing assignments, each with its own requirements. One of the most common is the comparison/contrast essay, in which you focus on the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (this is the comparison) and/or different from (this is the contrast) one another. By assigning such essays, your instructors are encouraging you to make connections between texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere description or summary to generate interesting analysis: when you reflect on similarities and differences, you gain a deeper understanding of the items you are comparing, their relationship to each other, and what is most important about them.

Recognizing comparison/contrast in assignments

Some assignments use words—like compare, contrast, similarities, and differences—that make it easy for you to see that they are asking you to compare and/or contrast. Here are a few hypothetical examples:

• Compare and contrast Frye’s and Bartky’s accounts of oppression.
• Compare WWI to WWII, identifying similarities in the causes, development, and outcomes of the wars.
• Contrast Wordsworth and Coleridge; what are the major differences in their poetry?

Notice that some topics ask only for comparison, others only for contrast, and others for both.

But it’s not always so easy to tell whether an assignment is asking you to include comparison/contrast. And in some cases, comparison/contrast is only part of the essay—you begin by comparing and/or contrasting two or more things and then use what you’ve learned to construct an argument or evaluation. Consider these examples, noticing the language that is used to ask for the comparison/contrast and whether the comparison/contrast is only one part of a larger assignment:

• Choose a particular idea or theme, such as romantic love, death, or nature, and consider how it is treated in two Romantic poems.
• How do the different authors we have studied so far define and describe oppression?
• Compare Frye’s and Bartky’s accounts of oppression. What does each imply about women’s collusion in their own oppression? Which is more accurate?
• In the texts we’ve studied, soldiers who served in different wars offer differing accounts of their experiences and feelings both during and after the fighting. What commonalities are there in these accounts? What factors do you think are responsible for their differences?

You may want to check out our handout on understanding assignments for additional tips.

Using comparison/contrast for all kinds of writing projects

Sometimes you may want to use comparison/contrast techniques in your own pre-writing work to get ideas that you can later use for an argument, even if comparison/contrast isn’t an official requirement for the paper you’re writing. For example, if you wanted to argue that Frye’s account of oppression is better than both de Beauvoir’s and Bartky’s, comparing and contrasting the main arguments of those three authors might help you construct your evaluation—even though the topic may not have asked for comparison/contrast and the lists of similarities and differences you generate may not appear anywhere in the final draft of your paper.

Discovering similarities and differences

Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. To make a Venn diagram, simply draw some overlapping circles, one circle for each item you’re considering. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. Assign each one of the areas that doesn’t overlap; in those areas, you can list the traits that make the things different. Here’s a very simple example, using two pizza places:

To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items. Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. You should then have a box per item for each criterion; you can fill the boxes in and then survey what you’ve discovered.

Here’s an example, this time using three pizza places:

As you generate points of comparison, consider the purpose and content of the assignment and the focus of the class. What do you think the professor wants you to learn by doing this comparison/contrast? How does it fit with what you have been studying so far and with the other assignments in the course? Are there any clues about what to focus on in the assignment itself?

Here are some general questions about different types of things you might have to compare. These are by no means complete or definitive lists; they’re just here to give you some ideas—you can generate your own questions for these and other types of comparison. You may want to begin by using the questions reporters traditionally ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? If you’re talking about objects, you might also consider general properties like size, shape, color, sound, weight, taste, texture, smell, number, duration, and location.

Two historical periods or events

• When did they occur—do you know the date(s) and duration? What happened or changed during each? Why are they significant?
• What kinds of work did people do? What kinds of relationships did they have? What did they value?
• What kinds of governments were there? Who were important people involved?
• What caused events in these periods, and what consequences did they have later on?

Two ideas or theories

• What are they about?
• Did they originate at some particular time?
• Who created them? Who uses or defends them?
• What is the central focus, claim, or goal of each? What conclusions do they offer?
• How are they applied to situations/people/things/etc.?
• Which seems more plausible to you, and why? How broad is their scope?
• What kind of evidence is usually offered for them?

Two pieces of writing or art

• What are their titles? What do they describe or depict?
• What is their tone or mood? What is their form?
• Who created them? When were they created? Why do you think they were created as they were? What themes do they address?
• Do you think one is of higher quality or greater merit than the other(s)—and if so, why?
• For writing: what plot, characterization, setting, theme, tone, and type of narration are used?
• Where are they from? How old are they? What is the gender, race, class, etc. of each?
• What, if anything, are they known for? Do they have any relationship to each other?
• What are they like? What did/do they do? What do they believe? Why are they interesting?
• What stands out most about each of them?

Deciding what to focus on

By now you have probably generated a huge list of similarities and differences—congratulations! Next you must decide which of them are interesting, important, and relevant enough to be included in your paper. Ask yourself these questions:

• What’s relevant to the assignment?
• What’s relevant to the course?
• What’s interesting and informative?
• What matters to the argument you are going to make?
• What’s basic or central (and needs to be mentioned even if obvious)?
• Overall, what’s more important—the similarities or the differences?

Suppose that you are writing a paper comparing two novels. For most literature classes, the fact that they both use Caslon type (a kind of typeface, like the fonts you may use in your writing) is not going to be relevant, nor is the fact that one of them has a few illustrations and the other has none; literature classes are more likely to focus on subjects like characterization, plot, setting, the writer’s style and intentions, language, central themes, and so forth. However, if you were writing a paper for a class on typesetting or on how illustrations are used to enhance novels, the typeface and presence or absence of illustrations might be absolutely critical to include in your final paper.

Sometimes a particular point of comparison or contrast might be relevant but not terribly revealing or interesting. For example, if you are writing a paper about Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” and Coleridge’s “Frost at Midnight,” pointing out that they both have nature as a central theme is relevant (comparisons of poetry often talk about themes) but not terribly interesting; your class has probably already had many discussions about the Romantic poets’ fondness for nature. Talking about the different ways nature is depicted or the different aspects of nature that are emphasized might be more interesting and show a more sophisticated understanding of the poems.

Your thesis

The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can help you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so they don’t get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for example, “This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places,” or “Pepper’s and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others,” or “Pepper’s and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference”) with something more detailed and specific. For example, you might say, “Pepper’s and Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart.”

Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument (that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different), your instructor will often be looking for a bit more analysis. In this case, the obvious question is “So what? Why should anyone care that Pepper’s and Amante are different in this way?” One might also wonder why the writer chose those two particular pizza places to compare—why not Papa John’s, Dominos, or Pizza Hut? Again, thinking about the context the class provides may help you answer such questions and make a stronger argument. Here’s a revision of the thesis mentioned earlier:

Pepper’s and Amante both offer a greater variety of ingredients than other Chapel Hill/Carrboro pizza places (and than any of the national chains), but the funky, lively atmosphere at Pepper’s makes it a better place to give visiting friends and family a taste of local culture.

You may find our handout on constructing thesis statements useful at this stage.

Organizing your paper

There are many different ways to organize a comparison/contrast essay. Here are two:

Subject-by-subject

Begin by saying everything you have to say about the first subject you are discussing, then move on and make all the points you want to make about the second subject (and after that, the third, and so on, if you’re comparing/contrasting more than two things). If the paper is short, you might be able to fit all of your points about each item into a single paragraph, but it’s more likely that you’d have several paragraphs per item. Using our pizza place comparison/contrast as an example, after the introduction, you might have a paragraph about the ingredients available at Pepper’s, a paragraph about its location, and a paragraph about its ambience. Then you’d have three similar paragraphs about Amante, followed by your conclusion.

The danger of this subject-by-subject organization is that your paper will simply be a list of points: a certain number of points (in my example, three) about one subject, then a certain number of points about another. This is usually not what college instructors are looking for in a paper—generally they want you to compare or contrast two or more things very directly, rather than just listing the traits the things have and leaving it up to the reader to reflect on how those traits are similar or different and why those similarities or differences matter. Thus, if you use the subject-by-subject form, you will probably want to have a very strong, analytical thesis and at least one body paragraph that ties all of your different points together.

A subject-by-subject structure can be a logical choice if you are writing what is sometimes called a “lens” comparison, in which you use one subject or item (which isn’t really your main topic) to better understand another item (which is). For example, you might be asked to compare a poem you’ve already covered thoroughly in class with one you are reading on your own. It might make sense to give a brief summary of your main ideas about the first poem (this would be your first subject, the “lens”), and then spend most of your paper discussing how those points are similar to or different from your ideas about the second.

Point-by-point

Rather than addressing things one subject at a time, you may wish to talk about one point of comparison at a time. There are two main ways this might play out, depending on how much you have to say about each of the things you are comparing. If you have just a little, you might, in a single paragraph, discuss how a certain point of comparison/contrast relates to all the items you are discussing. For example, I might describe, in one paragraph, what the prices are like at both Pepper’s and Amante; in the next paragraph, I might compare the ingredients available; in a third, I might contrast the atmospheres of the two restaurants.

If I had a bit more to say about the items I was comparing/contrasting, I might devote a whole paragraph to how each point relates to each item. For example, I might have a whole paragraph about the clientele at Pepper’s, followed by a whole paragraph about the clientele at Amante; then I would move on and do two more paragraphs discussing my next point of comparison/contrast—like the ingredients available at each restaurant.

There are no hard and fast rules about organizing a comparison/contrast paper, of course. Just be sure that your reader can easily tell what’s going on! Be aware, too, of the placement of your different points. If you are writing a comparison/contrast in service of an argument, keep in mind that the last point you make is the one you are leaving your reader with. For example, if I am trying to argue that Amante is better than Pepper’s, I should end with a contrast that leaves Amante sounding good, rather than with a point of comparison that I have to admit makes Pepper’s look better. If you’ve decided that the differences between the items you’re comparing/contrasting are most important, you’ll want to end with the differences—and vice versa, if the similarities seem most important to you.

Our handout on organization can help you write good topic sentences and transitions and make sure that you have a good overall structure in place for your paper.

Cue words and other tips

To help your reader keep track of where you are in the comparison/contrast, you’ll want to be sure that your transitions and topic sentences are especially strong. Your thesis should already have given the reader an idea of the points you’ll be making and the organization you’ll be using, but you can help them out with some extra cues. The following words may be helpful to you in signaling your intentions:

• like, similar to, also, unlike, similarly, in the same way, likewise, again, compared to, in contrast, in like manner, contrasted with, on the contrary, however, although, yet, even though, still, but, nevertheless, conversely, at the same time, regardless, despite, while, on the one hand … on the other hand.

For example, you might have a topic sentence like one of these:

• Compared to Pepper’s, Amante is quiet.
• Like Amante, Pepper’s offers fresh garlic as a topping.
• Despite their different locations (downtown Chapel Hill and downtown Carrboro), Pepper’s and Amante are both fairly easy to get to.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

440 Good Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Should you buy a green or a red apple?

Before making a decision, people often compare their options. In a compare and contrast essay, you analyze the similarities and differences between certain things. In this article, you’ll find interesting and easy compare and contrast essay topics for college, high school students, middle-schoolers, and even elementary kids.

Keep reading to choose a topic and write a great comparison essay. But first, bookmark our custom-writing services in case you need help with any paper!

• 🔝 Top 10 Comparison Topics

✍️ Comparison Essay Writing Guide

• 📝 How to Organize an Essay

🆚 Top 10 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

🎨 cultural comparison topics.

• 📜 History topics
• 🖼️ Topics in Art
• 📚 Topics in Literature
• 🍎 Everyday Things
• 🏰 Locations
• 👬🏼 People and Characters
• 🖥️ Technology
• 🎓 Topics for College
• 🏫 High School
• ✏️ Middle School
• 🧸 Elementary Topics

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 comparison topics 2024.

• NFT vs. cryptocurrency
• Recycling vs. landfills
• How is COVID-19 different from flu?
• The difference between VR and AR
• Data science vs. artificial intelligence
• Machine learning vs. deep learning
• Plastic cards vs. eco-friendly bank cards
• Olympic games vs. world championship
• Difference between immunization and vaccination
• Is traditional teaching more effective than online teaching?

The best way to start a comparison essay is to choose a topic. Once you know what you will be writing about, it is essential to follow the correct structure for this assignment type. Outlining will ensure that you stick to the proper format from the start.

A typical comparison essay includes the following components:

• Hook: grab the attention of the audience. It can be a quote, a story, a fact, or even a definition.
• Background information: in here, you give general knowledge about the topic.
• Thesis statement: this is the most important sentence since it presents your claim.
• Supporting evidence: information that proves your claim.
• Restated thesis.
• Summary of body paragraphs.
• So-what statement: explain why your reader should care about your topic.

In colleges and universities, students often write comparative analysis essays. Unlike a simple comparison essay, an analysis requires a more in-depth research. A topic for an analysis paper usually involves two very different or very similar subjects. Comparing them may be challenging, but the end result is always worth it.

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay: Mometrix Academy

Make sure that you include background information for both subjects that you compare.

In the thesis statement, you should mention the characteristics that you are going to analyze. For example, when talking about apples, it can be price, taste, and benefits. You can include as many points of comparison as you want.

📝 How to Organize a Comparison Essay

There are two ways to organize the body paragraphs in a comparison essay: subject by subject and point by point . Take a look at some tips on how to properly follow either structure.

✅ Subject-by-subject Pattern

This type of organizing an essay is also called a block pattern . It means that you will discuss each subject separately. In other words, each subject will have its own body paragraph . Describe them according to the details or characteristics that you’ve listed in the thesis statement.

Here is how subject-by-subject body paragraphs should look like:

☑️ Point-by-point Pattern

Points are the characteristics that you compare. You enumerate them in the thesis statement. Point-by-point means that each point will have a separate paragraph . In other words, each paragraph will discuss how a point relates to both items.

Check out how point-by-point body paragraphs look:

When it comes to academic purposes, choosing a topic for a comparison paper can be challenging. Fortunately, our experts prepared a list of comparison essay topics for you.

• Credit cards vs. debit cards
• Living on-campus vs. off-campus
• E-learning vs. traditional classes
• Public vs. private healthcare
• Traditional vs. modern medicine
• Online shopping vs. traditional shopping
• Is it better to drive a car or use the subway?
• Difference between American and Asian cultures
• The difference between nuclear and solar power
• Is it more effective to make calls or send emails?

Cross-cultural topics are very common for comparative essays. Simply put, these topics require you to compare and contrast two cultures. You may talk about the traditions, food, religions, and family values of different countries. Keep in mind that it is crucial not to be biased or discriminatory when analyzing perspectives.

• Latin American culture vs. European culture.
• Compare Christmas traditions in Australia and in Canada.
• Points of difference between Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians.
• Similarities between Brazilian food and Portuguese food.
• Compare the concepts of Eastern vs. Western teachings.
• Differences between American and South African family values.
• Resemblances between Central American Mayans and Mexican Mayans.
• Compare traditional clothing in Ukraine and Argentina.
• Distinctions between American and South Korean business culture .
• Finnish vs. Spanish educational culture.
• Asia: cultural differences between China and Japan.
• Compare Afghan and Russian hospitality.
• Marital traditions in Latin America and Eastern Europe.
• Driving culture in Germany vs. Britain .
• Religious practices: India vs. France.
• Compare working conditions in Bangladesh with those in the U.S.
• Latin American vs. Australian music .
• Contrast Italian and Swedish customer service quality.
• Similarities and differences between Incas and Aztecs.
• Compare Babylonian gods with Roman ones .
• Australian and British ways of raising children .
• Contrast Roman and Greek rulers.
• Norway and Spain intercultural differences.
• Women in China vs. in the U.S.
• Compare Argentinian and Brazilian dances .
• Ways in which Canadian and American Thanksgivings are different.
• Contrast gender roles in Spain and South Korea.
• Female body expectations in Mexico vs. Greece.
• Discrimination towards foreigners in America vs. Japan.
• Differences between friendships in France and America .

📜 History Comparison Topics

Take a look at historical comparison essay topics and choose two subjects to compare. It can be two events or famous historical figures.

The following topics are excellent when an in-depth analysis is required. Keep in mind that they can be controversial since some of them are concerned with sensitive issues.

• Compare the French Revolutionary War with the American Revolutionary War .
• Contrast the explorations of Columbus and Hernán Cortés .
• Differences between the industrial revolution in Europe and America.
• Ancient leaders: Czar Nicholas II and Julius Caesar .
• Compare the Spanish colonization of the Americas with British Imperialism.
• WWII dictatorships: Franco and Mussolini.
• Compare and contrast the consequences of WWI and WWII.
• Differences between the inventions of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.
• U.S. presidents: Barack Obama vs. Ronald Reagan .
• Industrial Revolution : Andrew Carnegie versus John Rockefeller.
• Similarities between slavery in the American South and North.
• Compare and contrast the Confederate states with the Union states.
• Fascism vs. communism during WWII.
• Chernobyl nuclear disaster vs. Fukushima.
• Non-violent activists: Martin Luther King and Gandhi .
• Differences and similarities between Trojans and Spartans.
• Presidential assassinations: J.F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln.
• Arms race in America and the Soviet Union .
• Empires: the Ottoman Turks vs. Persians .
• Consequences of the Korean War and the Vietnam War .
• Conquistadors: Portuguese vs. Spanish .
• Theological approaches: Thomas of Aquinas and Saint Augustine.
• Points of difference between the Axis and the Allied Powers<.
• Symbols of wealth in Ancient Greece and Rome .
• Similarities and differences between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
• Ancient Greek Philosophers: Socrates vs. Aristotle .
• Compare and contrast East and West Germany.
• Distinctions between the Bamboo Curtain and the Iron Curtain .
• Famous rivalry: Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr.
• Enlightenment philosophers: John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau .

🖼️ Comparison Essay Topics in Art

Comparative paper topics in art can explain real-life events and evoke emotions. In other words, comparing and contrasting artworks will help you understand their actual purposes. For topics in art, you can choose to compare movements, artworks, and artists.

• Distinctions and resemblances between the art of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci.
• Compare Picasso’s Rose and Blue Periods.
• Differences between the Baroque art style and Neoclassicism .
• Compare painting from real life and painting from a photo.
• Similarities between Goya’s and Rembrandt’s paintings.
• Colombian artists: Fernando Botero and Luis Alberto Acuña Tapado.
• Compare and contrast Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera .
• Differences and similarities between Surrealism and Expressionism.
• Points of similarity between Egyptian and Aztec pottery.
• Ways in which Ancient Greek and Mayan jewelry are different.
• Italian Renaissance sculptors: Donatello vs. Michelangelo .
• Contrast the representation of life in Surrealism and Realism.
• Cubism: Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso .
• Painting outdoors vs. painting in a studio.
• Symbolism movement in France and Russia.
• Op Art Movement vs. Abstract Art Movement.
• Pointillism: Georges Seurat and Paul Signac.
• Similarities and differences between photography and filmmaking.
• Beethoven vs. Mozart: life and music.
• Compare and contrast Edvard Munch with Wassily Kandinsky .
• Goya’s The Second of May 1808 vs. Goya’s The Third of May 1808.
• The theme of religion in Raphael’s and Velázquez’s paintings.
• Compare and contrast oil paint and acrylics.
• Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa versus Botero’s Mona Lisa, Age Twelve.
• Joaquín Sorolla: Impressionism and Luminism periods.
• Van Gogh vs. Salvador Dali.
• Compare and contrast Renaissance and Neoclassical painters.
• Romanticism : Caspar David Friedrich and Eugène Delacroix.
• Differences and similarities between Dada and Cubism movements .
• Ways in which traditional and digital painting are similar.

📚 Literature Comparison Topics

Literature is a gateway to another world. Whether it’s poetry or prose, their mesmerizing effect has captivated people for centuries. Do you love losing yourself between the pages of a novel or the lines of a poem? Then compare and contrast topics on literature are the right thing for you.

• The theme of love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream vs. Romeo and Juliet .
• Female representation in The House Bernarda Alba vs. A Doll’s House.
• Concept of reality: Life’s a Dream and Waiting for Godot .
• Supernatural themes: The Tempest and Hamlet.
• Gothic genre: Frankenstein and Dracula.
• The idea of honesty in Tartuffe versus The Importance of Being Earnest .
• Contrast plays in the Romantic period with plays in the Realistic period.
• Orange Is the New Black: TV series vs. book.
• Detective genre: Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle .
• Death in A Rose for Emily vs. A Good Man is Hard to Find .
• Compare An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge with The Lottery.
• Ancient Greek plays: Oedipus Rex and Medea.
• American writers: Ernest Hemingway vs. William Faulkner.
• The theme of racism in works of Richard Wright and Langston Hughes.
• Compare the theme of knowledge in Fahrenheit 451 and 1984.
• Revenge: The Count of Monte Cristo and Great Expectations .
• From the Earth to the Moon vs. Journey to the Center of the Earth.
• War and children: The Kite Runner and A Long Way Gone.
• The theme of competition in Battle Royale vs. The Hunger Games .
• Representation of society and class: Matched and The Selection.
• Fantasy fiction: The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series.
• The theme of bravery in The Hobbit vs. Beowulf.
• Compare and contrast Lord of the Flies with Animal Farm.
• Human relationships: Their Eyes Were Watching God vs. Brave New World .
• WW2 novels: Boy in the Striped Pajamas and The Book Thief.
• American 20th-century poets: Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes .
• Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson: literary style comparison.
• Epic poems: Epic of Gilgamesh and Odyssey.
• Latin American writers: Isabel Allende and Gabriel García Márquez .
• Literary movements: Naturalism vs. Modernism .

🍎 Comparison Topics: Everyday Things

By now, you should have some ideas in mind. However, what if you are taking the IELTS and the prompt is to compare everyday things? Comparison essay topics on this subject often focus on differences and similarities between daily choices such as drinking tea or juice.

• Owning a house vs. paying rent .
• Distinctions between working remotely and traditional jobs.
• Transportation: riding a bicycle vs. taking a bus.
• Contrast online and traditional classes.
• Buying food vs. bringing lunch from home.
• Compare the effects of a daily workout with weekly training.
• Taking class notes on paper versus on the computer.
• Resemblances and distinctions between TV shows and movies .
• Hanging out with friends vs. staying at home.
• Contrast studying with working while studying .
• Homework : working ahead vs. leaving it for the last minute.
• Taking a shower every day vs. in intervals.
• Compare following a daily routine with having no schedule .
• The difference between owning a company and working for someone.
• Contrast playing soccer with playing basketball .
• Taking drawing lessons vs. learning to draw by yourself.
• Compare playing in an orchestra with playing alone.
• Similarities and differences between ballet and jazz lessons.
• Compare waking up early with sleeping in.
• Following a vegan diet vs. eating meat every day.
• Contrast the effects of praying daily with not praying at all.
• Compare wearing makeup and wearing no makeup.
• Similarities and differences between cats and dogs.
• Interacting with family members online vs. face-to-face .
• Social media: limited usage and unlimited usage.
• Compare and contrast daily meditation with daily yoga .
• Cleaning the room every day versus weekly.
• Daily activities while dating vs. while being single.
• Intermittent fasting vs. eating whenever you are hungry.
• Free time: reading a book vs. volunteering .

🏰 Comparison Essay Topics about Locations

Now, what if you want to compare popular and interesting places?

When it comes to locations, you usually have two similar things to compare. For instance, your essay can be about two churches or national parks. Additionally, you can mention how cultural differences influence architecture.

• Waterfalls: Angel Falls and Iguazu Falls.
• Contrast the Denali National Park with Banff National Park .
• Archipelagos: Fernando de Noronha and The Azores.
• Compare the Atacama Desert with the Sahara Desert.
• Similarities and differences between Boracay and the Faroe Islands.
• Points of difference between Aurlandsfjord with Milford Sound.
• Ways that Halong Bay and Disko Bay are different.
• Resemblances and distinctions between Lake Baikal and Lake Tekapo.
• Compare and contrast Medina Azahara and Aljaferia Palace.
• Similarities and differences between Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Fuji.
• Ways in which Kalaupapa and Cliffs of Moher are different.
• Contrast Yellowstone National Park with Torres del Paine National Park.
• Ways in which America and Germany are similar .
• Compare Raja Ampat Islands with the Galápagos Islands .
• Points of similarity between Antelope Canyon and Grand Canyon.
• Ways in which the Pantheon and the Acropolis of Athens are different.
• Similarities and differences between the Hagia Sophia and the Taj Mahal.
• Contrast Burj Khalifa and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• Guggenheim Museum versus Niterói Contemporary Art Museum.
• Compare and contrast the Eiffel Tower with the Space Needle.
• Ways in which the Guggenheim and the Dancing House are similar.
• St. Basil’s Cathedral vs. Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília.
• Points of difference between La Sagrada Familia and Dome of the Rock .
• Distinctions and resemblances between American national parks.
• Compare the Sultan Ahmed Mosque with the Mosque of Córdoba.
• Points of difference between Musée d’Orsay and Musée du Louvre .
• Contrast Sydney Opera House and The Lotus Temple.
• New York : Chrysler Building and One World Trade Center.
• Ways in which Le Mont-Saint Michel and Bran Castle are different.
• Compare the Forbidden City and Angkor Wat.

👬🏼 Comparison Paper Topics: People and Characters

When it comes to people and characters, you can compare and contrast them in many aspects. For instance, analyze their personalities or their influence on the world. You can draw a comparison between people you admire or even between your favorite fictional characters!

• Fathers of experimental psychology: William James versus Wilhelm Wundt .
• Musicians: Elvis Presley vs. Michael Jackson.
• Compare the ideas of David Hume with Adam Smith’s.
• Similarities and differences between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates .
• Vladimir Lenin vs. Joseph Stalin.
• Compare the biographies of Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston.
• Emperors: Charlemagne and Napoleon I.
• Queen Victoria vs. Queen Elizabeth I.
• American Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
• Famous scientists: Albert Einstein and Marie Curie.
• Contrast the ideas of Karl Marx with those of Friedrich Engels.
• Differences and similarities between Prince Harry and Prince William.
• Famous humanitarians: Mother Teresa and Princess Diana .
• Resemblances and distinctions between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke.
• Popes: St. Gregory the Great and Innocent III.
• Similarities and differences between Katniss Everdeen and Beatrice Prior.
• Compare and contrast Boo Radley with Atticus Finch.
• Dumbledore vs. Odin .
• Similarities and differences between Guy Montag and Winston Smith.
• Bilbo Baggins vs. Frodo Baggins.
• Shakespeare’s Falstaff vs. Milton’s Satan.
• Classic detectives: Sherlock Holmes and C. Auguste Dupin.
• Differences and similarities between Cher Horowitz and Emma Woodhouse .
• Contrast Sam Spade with The Continental Op.
• Nancy Drew vs. Tintin.
• Compare Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby .
• Similarities and differences between Catherine Earnshaw and Elizabeth Bennet.
• Contrast Bernard Marx with John the Savage in Brave New World .
• Points of difference between Captain Ahab and Moby Dick.
• Tom Sawyer vs. Huckleberry Finn.

🖥️ Technology Comparison Topics

Nowadays, technology helps us in many ways. For instance, it provides various means of communication. In an essay on this matter, you can compare devices, uses, and technological changes over time.

These comparison paper topics can turn out to be controversial, exciting, or even funny. It all depends on the issues that you choose to research and write about.

• Compare owning a landline phone and a mobile phone.
• Similarities and differences between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
• Microsoft Word vs. Google Docs.
• Ways in which the Android system and the IOS system differ.
• Similarities and differences between online books and printed books.
• Compare technology usage in medicine with technology usage in business.
• Similarities and differences between mobile games and outdoor games .
• Points of difference between traditional mail and electronic mail.
• Watching movies at home versus going to a public theater .
• Compare writing on a physical keyboard and a touchscreen keyboard.
• Exams : online and paper-based exams for college students.
• Internet censorship in China versus the United States.
• Compare and contrast physical and digital pictures.
• Similarities and differences between gasoline vehicles and electric cars.
• Contrast the efficiency of an Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home.
• Apple devices: owning an iPod vs. having an iPad .
• Using robots in factories vs. hiring people.
• Compare the usage of solar and wind energy.
• Bluetooth vs. wired-connected devices.
• Contrast Huawei phones with Apple phones.
• Similarities and differences between Windows and OS X.
• Owning a computer vs. having a tablet.
• Compare texting your friends with talking on the phone .
• Using a house security system versus having no security system.
• Similarities and differences between an air conditioner and a fan.
• Compare baking in the oven with reheating food in a microwave.
• Barcodes vs. Radio Frequency Identification Tags.
• Ways in which a Dell laptop and an HP laptop are different.
• Similarities and differences between Ethernet and WiFi .
• Compare using a smartphone camera and a DSLR.

🎓 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for College Students

If your main criterion for your topic is that it’s suitable for college students, this section is for you. In higher education, you might be expected to put a more analytical spin on your comparison. The following ideas will make it easy for you to dive deep into similarities and differences:

• Which views do Donald Trump and Joe Biden share?
• Compare and contrast anarchism and socialism .
• Language acquisition theories: Noam Chomsky vs. B.F. Skinner .
• Describe fish species from the deep sea vs. the surface.
• What’s the difference between the U.S. Constitution and Articles of Confederation?
• Discuss the differences between waterproof and water-resistant materials.
• How does the structure of acrylic and cotton textiles differ?
• The economic and cultural influence of Coca Cola vs. PepsiCo.
• Similarities between Otto von Bismarck and Winston Churchill.
• How did the cultural turn influence the humanities compared to the linguistic turn?
• Explore the differences between structuralism and post-structuralism.
• The role of syntax in Hindi vs. English.
• Compare and contrast frontend vs. backend development.
• Which ideas did Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre share?
• What were the focus points of first-wave vs. second-wave feminism ?
• Similarities and differences between evolutionary vs. developmental psychology.
• How do large-scale and high-throughput DNA sequencing processes differ?
• Business strategies: Apple vs. Samsung.
• Discuss the legacy of jazz vs. blues music .
• Contrast a natural birth vs. getting an epidural.
• Chemical components of red wine compared to vermouth.
• What characteristics do black tea and coffee share?
• Describe the differences between impressionism and expressionism .
• IELTS and TOEFL: what do the two systems have in common?
• Experimental psychology in 19th century France vs. Germany.
• Film studies: watching movies now and in the past .

• How does the administrative work in Russia compared to Georgia?
• Compare and contrast Judith Butler’s and Camille Paglia’s position on gender.
• Cooking cultures in Italy vs. France: how are they different?
• What do cosmologists study as opposed to astronomers?

🏫 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for High School Students

Your teacher has assigned you a comparison essay, but now you have to develop a topic by yourself? Don’t be overwhelmed—browse this list and be sure to find topics suitable for your level. With these creative ideas, writing your paper will undoubtedly be fun:

• What happens to nature in spring vs. fall?
• For literature lovers: analyze the differences between plays and novels.
• Compare the origins of near-sightedness and farsightedness.
• Philosophical positions: rationalism vs. empiricism.
• Advantages of sleeping in vs. getting up early.
• What are the health benefits of HIIT vs. cardio?
• Differences and similarities between acoustic vs. electric guitars .
• Contrast wearing glasses and wearing contacts.
• Night vision: owls vs. cats.
• How does living in the city differ from living in the countryside?
• Compare the anatomy of chickens and velociraptors.
• Outline the differences between American football and rugby.
• Space movies: what do Steven Soderbergh’s and Andrei Tarkovsky’s versions of Solaris have in common?
• How do Fanta and Mirinda differ?
• Similarities and differences between Christmas and Easter.
• Compare and contrast having a big family and being an only child.
• Challenges of growing up queer vs. straight.
• Baking bread with yeast vs. sourdough.
• Outline the features of kohl pencils vs. gel eyeliners.
• Advantages of using paper bags vs. plastic bags .
• Contrast activities during winter and summer vacations .
• Games and graphics: PS4 vs. Xbox One.
• What are the differences between being homeschooled and going to a public school?
• Subcultures: Emo vs. Goth.
• Describe the environmental impact of hybrid vs. electric cars .
• Compare the features and prospects of arts vs. science education.
• How do manga and comics differ?
• Differences and similarities between Halloween and the Mexican Día de Muertos.
• Contrast the new Tomb Raider trilogy with the old games.
• High school students vs. elementary school students.

✏️ Compare and Contrast Topics for Middle School

Maybe you’re already an essay writing veteran. Or perhaps this is your first compare and contrast paper. Whatever your experience is, this section has what you need. Now, the most important thing is that you write about something you like. The following list includes manageable examples for every middle school student:

• Go to studycorgi.comThe taste of soda from plastic bottles vs. cans.
• What’s more interesting: physics or chemistry ?
• Advantages of having long hair vs. short hair.
• Compare in-ear headphones with over-ear ones.
• Differences between Snapchat and Instagram .
• What’s better: a big birthday party with your friends or celebrating with your family?
• Compare Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks.
• Contrast working in the medical field with working as an engineer .
• What can you do at night as opposed to during the day?
• How do Pokémon and Digimon differ?
• Volcanoes: compare Italy’s Mount Etna and Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro.
• Similarities and differences between 2D and 3D movies.
• How does it affect your life if you’re shy as opposed to outgoing ?
• Compare going to school and being in kindergarten .
• Baseball and basketball : what do they have in common?
• Cars: the difference between a Mercedes and a Chevrolet.
• Compare and contrast a book of your choice and its movie adaptation .
• Reading the newspaper vs. a magazine .
• What’s it like to live in an apartment compared to living in a house?
• The pleasure of giving presents vs. getting them.
• Describe Mars in comparison to Earth.
• Japanese vs. American cartoons : what are the differences?
• What’s different if you’re left-handed vs. right-handed?
• Sugar and salt: how do they differ?
• Find similarities between hail and rain.
• What are the features of sand vs. ice deserts?
• Compare science fiction and fantasy.
• Contrast natural sciences and humanities.
• Dressing up for events vs. going in jeans and a shirt.
• What differs a hot air balloon from a zeppelin?

🧸 Compare and Contrast Topics for Elementary

Do you want to practice your writing skills with a fantastic essay? Under this rubric, you’ll find friendly and funny compare and contrast essay topics. Pick any and just focus on your creativity. Who says school assignments always have to be boring? Here are some engaging writing prompts to boost your ideas:

• Fortnite vs. Minecraft.
• Dog breeds: compare Chihuahuas and Pitbulls .
• What are the differences between flowers and mushrooms?
• What’s more fun: writing a poem or painting a picture?
• Describe the similarities between crabs and lobsters.
• Contrast doctors and teachers.
• Differences between elementary school students and kindergarteners.

• Compare and contrast a dish you like and a dish you don’t like.
• What’s the difference between being excited and being happy ?
• How do you feel when you’re lonely vs. when you’re sad?
• Camping in a tent vs. in a van.
• What’s it like if you’re tall as opposed to short?
• Insects: what are the differences between bees and wasps?
• Compare and contrast juice and soft drinks.
• Contrast magic vs. science.
• What distinguishes a buddy from a best friend ?
• Find similarities between nectarines and peaches.
• Which personality traits do your mother and father share?
• Skateboarding vs. inline skating.
• Differences and similarities between buying groceries and shopping .
• What distinguishes dolphins from whales ?
• Compare and contrast tornadoes and hurricanes.
• Speaking only one language vs. knowing two or more languages .
• Compare and contrast natural light and candlelight.
• What’s it like to have your own computer compared to sharing it?
• Countries with a cold vs. warm climate .
• Contrast eating with a fork and using chopsticks.
• How does wearing a skirt differ from wearing pants?
• Hot vs. cold drinks.
• What’s distinct about writing with a pen compared to using a pencil?

👶 Fun Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids

Sometimes, decisions can be challenging. Bears or dolphins? Sandcastles or snowball fights? It might be easier to write everything you know about both options down. Once you do this, you’re automatically comparing and contrasting. Without even noticing, you’re probably using this skill all the time. Test your knowledge with these fun and exciting topics:

• Compare drawing with crayons vs. using fingerpaint.
• What’s cooler: the police or the fire department?
• Would you prefer being on a boat trip or taking a train ride?
• What’s better: Friday or Saturday?
• Compare peanut butter and Nutella.
• What ranks higher for you: cake or cookies?
• Would you rather be at home or on vacation?
• Ice cream vs. popsicles.
• What’s more comfortable: sitting or lying down?
• Do you prefer sleeping in a blanket or a sleeping bag?
• Stuffed animals vs. toys: what’s more fun to play with?
• Lollipops vs. jawbreakers.
• Compare being with your parents with staying at your grandparents’.
• Which is the better pet: a bunny or a snake?
• What would you prefer: playing in the snow or at the beach ?
• Pizza or hot dogs: what’s tastier?
• Batman vs. Spiderman: who is the coolest superhero?
• Would it be nicer to be a mermaid or a fairy?
• Going to the zoo vs. the circus.
• Would you rather play at home or outside?
• Is it more interesting to watch a cartoon or a T.V. show?
• Breakfast food competition: pancakes vs. eggs and bacon.
• Talking to friends online vs. face-to-face.
• What’s the better superpower: being invisible or flying?
• Do you prefer scary or funny stories?
• Time travel : would it be more exciting to go to the past or the future?
• Compare the advantages of reading by yourself and being read to by someone.
• Which presents are better: birthday or Christmas ?
• Wearing pajamas vs. a nightgown.
• Contrast tree houses and pillow forts.

💬 Compare and Contrast Speech Topics

A compare and contrast speech is an excellent method to convince your audience that one thing is better than another. For example, you can talk about why using local and organic produce for school lunches is a good idea. Try making a speech on one of these topics:

• Learning an instrument in school vs. skipping music classes.
• Letting students choose what to read in class compared to having the teacher decide.
• Should school lunch be organized by the state or by private companies?
• Battle of the mac and cheeses: Kraft vs. Annie’s.
• Contrast Roman Catholicism and Protestant Christianity.
• Compare and contrast the advantages of PowerPoint vs. Prezi.
• Why would it be better to use tablets in class than textbooks ?
• Which ideas do Liberals and Conservatives share?
• Advantages of buying everything online vs. locally.
• Who had a more significant impact on music: 2pac or Rage Against the Machine?
• Our work performance is closely related to our mental health. Analyze how it would benefit companies to pay for their employees’ therapy instead of the workers having to pay themselves.
• Movie rentals: Netflix vs. Blockbuster.
• Advocate for learning to cook instead of dining out every day .
• What’s the better gift: spending time with someone or giving them money ?
• The more people receive a quality education, the better for the economy. Compare countries with high vs. low education costs. Make a case why your country should lower/raise the price of education.
• Analyze the recovery of drug addicts in rehabilitation programs vs. prisons .
• Bill Clinton and Barack Obama : who was the better president?
• Theory of value: Adam Smith vs. David Ricardo.
• Which method is more sensible to combat climate change: carbon capture or renewable energies?
• Wearing real vs. artificial leather: ethical issues and solutions.
• Describe the rich vs. the poor in the U.S.
• Compare the harmful effects of alcohol and marijuana.
• Should employers reduce or increase the number of robots they use?
• Helicopter parents vs. parental absenteeism: what’s worse?
• What’s more helpful for someone with anger issues: playing shooters or meditating ?
• Compare and contrast fatuous and compassionate love.
• Emma Goldman vs. Alan Moore: who was the more influential anarchist?
• The benefits of Zoom compared to Google Meet.
• In terms of news, what’s more informative: television or the internet?
• Which sport is better for weight loss: swimming or running?

We hope that our tips and topics will help you write your best comparison essay!

• The Comparative Essay: University of Toronto
• Writing a Paper: Comparing and Contrasting: Walden University
• Compare and Contrast: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Compare and Contrast Essay: Excelsior Online Writing Lab
• How to Write Comparative Essays in Literature: Seattle P-I
• Art Movements and Styles: Artland
• Ancient Egypt: History.com
• The 10 Oldest Ancient Civilizations That Have Ever Existed: Ancient History Lists
• People Known For: History and Society: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Comparison and Contrast Essay Examples College: Cram.com
• Paper Topics and Opposing Viewpoints: California State University, Long Beach: Libguides
• Comparative Speech Topics: Synonym
• The Greatest Books: The Best Books of All Time
• The 50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time: Time
• Art: Encyclopedia.com
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One of the main gates on the Brown University campus, decorated with the University crest. (Photo by ... [+] Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images)

A stellar GPA is one of the building blocks of a successful Ivy League application, and as the school year winds down, many students are anxiously seeking to give theirs a final boost. While most students and families understand the importance of a 4.0, few are aware of how top colleges evaluate student GPAs or what they look for when reviewing student transcripts. Though your GPA may seem to be a simple metric, nothing could be further from the case—colleges consider more than just the number, accounting for complexities such as diverse grading systems across schools, trends in grade inflation, and level of course rigor.

Here are three important facts to keep in mind about your GPA as you choose your courses:

1. Your GPA isn’t directly comparable to GPAs of students at other schools.

One common misconception among college applicants is that they can compare their GPAs with those of students attending different schools. However, the GPA is not a universal metric but rather a reflection of an individual's academic performance within their specific educational environment. As a result, comparing GPAs from different schools is like comparing apples and oranges. For instance, some schools offer a plethora of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and honors courses, while others may have limited options or offer none at all. Additionally, the weight assigned to AP versus honors versus regular classes varies from school to school. So, your GPA may not hold the same weight as those of your peers at different schools, even if you all have 4.0s.

Admissions officers understand that schools vary in their rigor, curriculum, and grading policies. Therefore, they evaluate your GPA in the context of your high school, considering the courses offered and the academic challenges presented. Instead of fixating on how your GPA compares to your friends’ from other schools, focus on challenging yourself and taking advantage of all the opportunities available to you at your school.

2. GPAs across the country are inflated—and colleges know it.

The last few years have seen surges in high school student GPAs nationwide. While GPA inflation has been on the rise over the last decade, average ACT composite scores are steadily declining. “For the 1.4 million ACT test-takers in the high school class of 2023, the average composite score on the exam was 19.5 out of 36, the lowest score since 1991,” according to The New York Times New York Times . The parallel differences, coupled with academic differences across schools, suggest that GPA must be considered in tandem with multiple other factors. Simply put, an A no longer means what it used to on a transcript.

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Ivy League schools and other top colleges are well aware of this trend and evaluate student GPAs alongside other metrics such as standardized test scores and AP exam scores in order to better understand a student’s academic skill sets. While some Ivy League and other top schools remain test-optional , they still emphasize course rigor and the context from your high school profile to understand the grades on your transcript.

3. Colleges will recalculate your GPA.

Given the abundance of variables in GPA calculations, colleges often recalculate the metric to create a standardized baseline for comparison between students across different schools. The recalibration may involve adjusting for variations in grading scales or the weighting of honors, IB or AP courses. The University of California system, for example, calculates students’ UC GPAs by converting grades to grade points (an A is equivalent to four points, a B to three points and so on) for classes taken between the summer after 9th grade and summer after 11th grade, and adding one point for each honors class, and dividing by total classes taken to yield final GPA. (Variations exist for in-state versus out-of-state students and by high school. Be sure to calculate your GPA following the UC issued guidelines.)

Other colleges also take additional factors that impact academic performance into consideration, and envelop GPA into a broader, holistic consideration. For instance, the lawsuit by Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard University over affirmative action practices revealed that Harvard rates students on a scale of 1 to 6 (with one being the most desirable) in academic, extracurricular, athletic and personal categories. A student’s GPA and test scores are folded together into an academic score which “summarizes the applicant’s academic achievement and potential based on grades, testing results, letters of recommendation, academic prizes, and any submitted academic work.”

This process aims to provide a fair and equitable evaluation of students from different educational backgrounds. Keep in mind that Harvard considers not only your grades, test scores, and academic rigor in this score, but also “evidence of substantial scholarship” and “academic creativity,” which can make the difference between a 1 and a 2 in the scoring system. These systems underscore the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity, showcasing your unique personality and creativity, and seeking to maximize opportunities to improve your performance within the academic landscape of your institution.

By understanding the complex way by which colleges evaluate students’ GPAs, you are better equipped to present a comprehensive and competitive picture of your academic achievements on your transcript and stand out in the competitive Ivy League admissions landscape.

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