25 Best Colleges for Writing 2020
These are the best 25 colleges that offer a Bachelor's Degree in Writing, based on median salary one year after graduation. The school with the highest median salary for this degree is Carnegie Mellon University, at $44,000. Utah State University offers the lowest median debt on the list, at $11,000. Median salaries for the top 25 schools range from $29,900-$44,000.
Tuition, median salaries, and median debt were reported by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019. View our methodology for more details about these rankings or read more about the top-ranked schools.
| School | Annual Tuition | Median Debt | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | $66,246 | $23,250 | $44,000 |
| Arizona State University, Online | $33,139 | $25,419 | $40,600 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | $30,684 | $22,250 | $36,800 |
| James Madison University | $31,604 | $20,000 | $36,700 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $15,974 | $27,000 | $36,500 |
| Missouri State University | $18,770 | $24,459 | $36,200 |
| University of California - Berkeley | $50,547 | $15,762 | $34,900 |
| University of North Texas | $21,149 | $19,000 | $34,700 |
| Texas Tech University | $24,451 | $24,990 | $34,600 |
| Weber State University | $17,545 | $17,590 | $34,200 |
| Southern Illinois University - Carbondale | $13,334 | $27,000 | $32,800 |
| University of South Florida Online | $17,324 | $18,862 | $32,400 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $41,430 | $24,500 | $32,000 |
| Marquette University | $51,170 | $22,824 | $31,500 |
| Old Dominion University | $33,780 | $25,000 | $31,100 |
| Metropolitan State University | $9,840 | $13,400 | $30,800 |
| Southern New Hampshire University Online | $10,260 | $22,212 | $29,900 |
2020 Best Colleges Highlights
Learn more about the top colleges for a Bachelor's in Writing degree. You can also read student reviews of each school by clicking on the stars. Although student reviews were not used as a ranking factor in this list, we provide ratings and reviews so students can consider the experience of alumni in their decision-making process.
With over 100 years of history, Carnegie Mellon University's English department is inspired by tradition and innovation and offers bachelor's degree programs in Creative Writing, Professional Writing, and Technical Writing & Communication.
The Bachelor's in Creative Writing program will help develop students' skills in writing fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and creative nonfiction. In addition, students can expect to sharpen their critical and verbal skills by reading a wide range of genres. The program offers courses in writing and reading fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting, as well as creative writing workshops. A variety of writing internships and extracurricular writing activities will help students prepare for professional careers in teaching, publishing, public relations, advertising, TV and film, freelance writing, and editing.
By blending a rigorous study in rhetoric, argument, genre studies, and plain-language skills, the Bachelor's in Professional Writing program will put the audience and purpose at the center of communication strategies. Courses include a survey of forms such as fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting, as well as courses in professional and technical writing, argument, and various rhetoric and language options. Professional Writing Program students can expect personal advising support through internships and research experiences. Positions in writing, communications, and information design are just a few of the career paths that students in the program go on to pursue.
There are two distinct tracks for the Bachelor's in Technical Writing & Communication - one in Technical Communication and one in Scientific and Medical Communication. Both concentrations have a shared set of prerequisites in math, statistics, and computer programming, and both have foundational courses in print and online communications. In either track, students will learn the technical and communication skills needed to analyze and solve complex communication problems, as well as the fundamentals of visual, verbal, and on-line communication.
Carnegie Mellon's English Department offers 14 academic programs, from Freshman Writing to Doctoral Research. Courses are defined by an intimate student to teacher ratio of 12:1, opportunities for writing, editing, and publishing outside of the classroom, and personalized advising and faculty mentorship.
At Arizona State University's English program in Tempe, AZ, students are able to choose between two undergraduate writing programs - Bachelor of Arts in English (Creative Writing) and Bachelor of Arts in English (Writing, Rhetorics, and Literacies).
Students in the Bachelor's of English (Creative Writing) program study and practice the art of writing poetry and fiction and gain practical experience through research and internships. The undergraduate program offers fundamental courses such as English composition, creative writing workshops, critical reading and writing, and Humanities, in order to prepare students for a variety of careers and to continue their studies in graduate and professional programs. Employers are always looking for individuals with strong skills in writing, communication, and the ability to think critically. English majors commonly go on to work in professional fields like business, editing, journalism, professional writing, publishing, and web content development.
The Bachelor's of English (Writing, Rhetorics, and Literacies) program emphasizes rhetoric and literacy and teaches students strategies for inquiry. The main core classes of this concentration are in English composition, critical reading and writing, rhetoric and literacy, rhetorical theory, and the humanities. Studying the constructs of communication as well as how it is circulated, reacted to, and repurposed through time and place, provides a fundamental core for careers in business, private companies, government, nonprofit organizations, and anywhere where critical inquiry, innovative thinking, and decision-making is valued. The program prepares students for a future in teaching, law, and other fields.
Students can pursue BA writing degrees in English, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Science, which has the largest collection of academic majors for undergraduate studies at Arizona State University.