How to develop compare and contrast essay topics + 60 inspirational ideas

If an essay prompt asks you to analyze the similarities and differences between two or more subjects, your professor expects a compare and contrast essay. Although it’s not an independent genre on its own, it can fit within the premise of expository or argumentative writing, depending on your class and other paper requirements.

While in most cases, professors will assign specific subjects for you to assess, some instructors will let you come up with compare and contrast essay topics on your own. And it can be even more challenging, considering the near-limitless variety of options. To help out, our academic experts share their approach to choosing excellent topics and provide a few dozen examples for your inspiration.

How to develop a good compare and contrast essay topic

Our academic experts could write a book on how to choose a topic for an essay, but it all boils down to a few simple requirements. The more boxes you check, the better paper you can write. Ideally, an essay topic should:

1. Align with your class. You can use the syllabus and recommended reading to narrow down the scope of the issue and ask your TA or professor if the topic is suitable before researching it. This is a crucial requirement, and failing to meet it can lead to you failing the assignment.
2. Be relevant and fresh. Although there are plenty of tried-and-true topics for any class, choosing something new or at least adding a new spin to the story will make it more exciting for you and your professors. If you cannot come up with current topics, check out your social media feed and trending headlines to find inspiration.
3. Excite you to learn more. You can always recycle the topics you’re familiar with to accelerate the research and writing phase. But if you’re passionate about the class and subject matter, it will shine through your writing and win you extra points for creativity. So, if you have the time, pick an issue you’re forever curious about.
4. Be researchable. Choosing obscure subjects for your comparison may seem exciting, but when you realize the absence of reliable sources, it may be too late to change the topic. In your preliminary research, study the number of existing publications and choose topics that come with enough references for you to cite.

Alternatively, you can use professional assistance to come up with a suitable topic. After all, SpeedyPaper doesn’t merely enable you to buy a research paper. Our writers can take over any stage of the writing process.

Compare and contrast essay topics

Compare and contrast essays can work for most classes and topics, so the complete list of possible titles would never fit in a short post. Instead, we divided our ideas into six categories to help you navigate and find a suitable title faster. And remember that you can always tweak and adjust any topic on our list to make it a perfect fit for your class and school.

Finally, after you find a couple of suitable ideas, check out our complete compare and contrast essay writing guide. It should help you outline, write, and edit your creative piece to perfection and score the high grade you deserve.

Fun compare and contrast essay topics

Regardless of the common misconception, the topics for compare and contrast essay don’t have to be dull or stale. If your class allows it, consider using one of the humorous ideas below. As long as your professor approves, your essay could turn out to be the most creative and memorable in class.

1. Evaluate the relative success of the Marvel and the DC comic book movie adaptations
2. Contrast the use of soundtrack to enhance storytelling in movies and videogames
3. Assess the effectiveness of humor in sitcoms and standup comedian shows
4. Compare the effects of current policy on satire animated shows and talk shows
5. Highlight the similarities and differences between the books of sci-fi and fantasy genres
6. Describe and compare your experience watching TV shows on cable television and binging them on streaming platforms
7. Compare different film adaptations of the same book, such as Romeo and Juliet
8. Contrast the graphic design and storytelling tropes favored by American animation studios and Japanese anime artists
9. Look for similarities and differences between memes and “dad jokes”
10. Compare the entertainment value of TikToks, YouTube videos, and feature-length comedies

Compare and contrast essay topics for college students

If you need paper assistance with college assignments, finding the right topic should be the first step. Below, you’ll find ten ideas suitable for a wide variety of classes and subjects that call for a bit more research, planning, and argumentation compared to the previous category. Each of them is relevant and complex enough to appease your college professor, but we suggest consulting them before writing just to make sure they approve of your choice of a topic.

1. Compare the teaching and learning tools and techniques used in online and offline classrooms
2. Assess the major differences and similarities between STEM and Liberal Arts tracks
3. Consider the effects of social media on professional networking and personal relationships
4. Compare the costs and effectiveness of colleges and MOOCs
5. Juxtapose the economic and environmental implications of organic vs. traditional farming techniques
6. Highlight the value of IQ and EQ development for mental health and lifelong success
7. Contrast the challenges of traditional employment and entrepreneurship after graduation
8. Evaluate the long-term effects of autocratic vs. democratic leadership styles on a nationwide level
9. Contrast the core concepts of determinism and the concept of free will in philosophy
10. Compare the scientific and religious foundations of creationism and the theory of evolution

Easy compare and contrast essay topics

Although easy is a relative term, we tried to come up with ideas you can research quickly and find plenty of relevant references to cite. Besides, some of the compare and contrast essay topics below should be so familiar that you may not need to think much about planning and structuring the essay. We hope to ignite your creativity and help you come up with similarly easy ideas on your own, even if none of the titles suit your needs.

1. Compare the vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation of British and American English
2. Assess the advantages of taking a road trip vs. flying across the ocean on your first solo vacation
3. Contrast the experiences and costs of staying in a hotel and an Airbnb on vacation
4. Juxtapose the best and worst villains in a TV show or movie franchise
5. Weigh the requirements of working in an office vs. working remotely
6. Highlight the similarities and disparities between Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman mythology
7. Compare the causes and effects of the French Revolution and the American Revolution
8. Consider the benefits and drawbacks of using public transportation vs. using a car
9. Compare the rebranding of Facebook and Twitter and assess results for both companies
10. Emphasize the differences and similarities of English and another language you know, real or fictional

Controversial compare and contrast essay topics

Although a good essay topic should always be debatable to make your writing exciting, some titles are way more controversial than the rest. All the compare and contrast essay ideas below are designed to provoke heated debate and are perfectly suited for classes where students are encouraged to share their points of view. However, you should be prepared to face fierce opposition if you support a side that doesn’t align with the common consensus in class. We also recommend treating the most sensitive topics with care so as not to cause offense in place of debate.

1. Contrast the Republicans’ and Democrats’ views towards abortion regulation in the US
2. Assess the effects of the Great Depression and the Covid-19 pandemic on the American economy
3. Evaluate the differences and similarities between current and century-old beauty standards
4. Compare and contrast the investments necessary for the development of cold fusion and space exploration
5. Weigh the benefits of embryo genetic testing versus traditional diagnostic methods
6. Juxtapose the campaign promises of two Presidential candidates
7. Emphasize the similarities between Islamic and Christian religious lore and rituals
8. Compare and contrast the political and economic consequences of capitalism and socialism
9. Assess the potential risks of corporations and government agencies collecting and using your personal data online
10. Compare the environmental impact of electric and traditional car manufacturing

Interesting compare and contrast essay topics

We cannot know what’s of interest to you, so we had to guess at potential issues that could get your blood pumping. Below, you’ll find our take on the topics for compare and contrast essay you might wish to explore in depth. As with all topic categories, you can adjust and tweak each title to better align with your interests. Feel free to swap one or both of the issues under discussion or add a third one to make your piece truly unique.

1. Highlight the main similarities shared by Millennials and Gen Z and spot their core differences
2. Consider the similarities between the effects of sleep deprivation and drug use on the human body
3. Compare and contrast the early stages of relationships started online and in person
4. Weigh the objectivity and effectiveness of standardized tests against oral exams
5. The differences in sci-fi representation of AI and its real-life use cases
6. Contrast the habits and lifestyle of early birds and night owls
7. Emphasize the similarities between the rap and rock music movements
8. Assess the effects of smoking cigarettes and marijuana on human bodies
9. Compare and contrast the sources and causes of two common conspiracy theories
10. Consider the positive psychological effects of having pets vs. having children

Best compare and contrast essay topics

We discussed how to come up with the best argumentative, expository, or research proposal essay topics at the start of this post. And while the rest of the categories are designed to be diverting, easy, or controversial, the ten ideas below are not only relevant and easy to research, but they should also garner your professors’ and classmates’ attention and improve your chances of getting a high grade. Still, some of the topics can be quite sensitive, so try to remain objective and non-offensive in your writing if you decide to tackle one of our ideas.

1. Analyze the differences and similarities of flu and coronavirus epidemics
2. Compare and contrast the successes and failures of government-funded and private space exploration programs
3. Compare music, text, or imagery created by AI and by human artists
4. Evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of using iOS and Android-powered mobile devices
5. Assess the scope of privacy infringement by democratic and authoritarian governments
6. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of living and working on the East Coast and West Coast
7. Discuss the repercussions of robotization and automation in manufacturing and service industries
8. Compare the gun control views of the Republicans and the Democrats
9. Contrast the experiences of college and professional athletes and the effects of their sports careers on their health
10. Analyze the similarities and differences in the rhetoric of feminist and trans activists

Final thoughts

Hopefully, you’ve found at least a couple of suitable ideas among the options we suggested. But if you want something really special and need more help with outlining and writing your assignment, SpeedyPaper is here to support you. Our experts don’t simply write papers for money; they can develop an original research question, plan the most logical structure, complete the piece, and edit it to perfection. And they can do it in under 24 hours if necessary. All you need to do is ask for help via the order form or live chat.