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2024 Best Writing Studies Schools

280 Colleges in the United States
12,529 Writing Degrees Awarded
$32,208 Avg Early-Career Salary
Writing Studies is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #81 most popular degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

College Factual looked at 280 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Writing Studies Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 12,529 degrees in writing studies to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Writing Studies School

Best Writing Studies Schools The writing program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Writing Studies rankings. For our Best Overall Writing Studies School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Writing Studies Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Writing
Bachelor's Degrees in Writing
Master's Degrees in Writing
Doctor's Degrees in Writing

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Writing Studies Schools list to help you make the college decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.


 

Best Schools for Writing Studies in the United States

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the writing degrees they offer, see the list below. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Writing

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
112 Writing Degrees Awarded
$46,540 Median Starting Salary

Johns Hopkins University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in writing studies. Located in the large city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #23 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Johns Hopkins is a great university overall.

There were approximately 112 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the writing studies degree program at Johns Hopkins University get $14,332 more than the typical college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Johns Hopkins University

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
202 Writing Degrees Awarded
$36,615 Median Starting Salary

It is hard to beat University of Minnesota - Twin Cities if you wish to pursue a degree in writing studies. UMN Twin Cities is a very large public university located in the city of Minneapolis. This university ranks 1st out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were roughly 202 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the writing studies degree program at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities earn $4,407 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
329 Writing Degrees Awarded
$33,776 Median Starting Salary

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in writing studies. Pitt is a fairly large public university located in the city of Pittsburgh. This university ranks 7th out of 109 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were approximately 329 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent data year. After graduation, writing degree recipients typically earn about $33,776 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
51 Writing Degrees Awarded
11.8% Growth in Graduates

Carnegie Mellon University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in writing studies. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Pittsburgh. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were roughly 51 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent year we have data available. Those writing studies students who get their degree from Carnegie Mellon University earn $12,509 more than the standard writing graduate.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Carnegie Mellon University

5
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In IL
36 Writing Degrees Awarded

UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were about 36 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Chicago

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Writing Degrees Awarded
$41,090 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were about 60 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year. Those writing studies students who get their degree from University of California - Berkeley make $8,882 more than the standard writing grad.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of California - Berkeley

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
134 Writing Degrees Awarded
$40,027 Median Starting Salary

Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 134 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. Writing Studies degree recipients from Columbia University in the City of New York receive an earnings boost of around $7,819 above the average earnings of writing studies graduates.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Columbia University in the City of New York

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
7th Most Popular In IL
64.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 17 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Northwestern University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
123 Writing Degrees Awarded
33.3% Growth in Graduates

UT Austin is a very large public university located in the city of Austin. This university ranks 2nd out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were about 123 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, writing degree recipients usually make around $31,418 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in writing studies from The University of Texas at Austin

10
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In RI
35 Writing Degrees Awarded

Brown is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Providence. A Best Colleges rank of #21 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Brown is a great university overall.

There were roughly 35 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Brown University

11
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
100 Writing Degrees Awarded
10.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 96 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were about 100 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Miami University - Oxford in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the writing studies major at Miami University - Oxford make $2,082 more than the standard college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Miami University - Oxford

12
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
55 Writing Degrees Awarded
21.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 55 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, writing degree recipients typically earn around $23,653 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Southern California

13
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In IA
107 Writing Degrees Awarded

Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 107 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Iowa

14
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
7th Most Popular In MA
29.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #6 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

There were roughly 17 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Harvard University

15
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
43 Writing Degrees Awarded
$26,163 Median Starting Salary

Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Atlanta. This university ranks 2nd out of 68 schools for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were approximately 43 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent data year. After graduation, writing degree recipients generally make about $26,163 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Emory University

16
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Writing Degrees Awarded
$29,852 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were roughly 37 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Purdue in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the writing program report average early career income of $29,852.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Purdue University - Main Campus

17
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
35 Writing Degrees Awarded
$36,915 Median Starting Salary

Michigan State is a very large public university located in the small city of East Lansing. This university ranks 2nd out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were approximately 35 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the writing studies degree program at Michigan State University get $4,707 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Michigan State University

18
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
58 Writing Degrees Awarded
5.2% Growth in Graduates

UW Seattle is a very large public university located in the large city of Seattle. This university ranks 1st out of 51 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were approximately 58 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Those writing studies students who get their degree from University of Washington - Seattle Campus earn $20,467 more than the average writing student.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

19
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
34 Writing Degrees Awarded
14.7% Growth in Graduates

WUSTL is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Saint Louis. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were about 34 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the writing program earn an average of $26,196 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Washington University in St Louis

20
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In IN

Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Notre Dame. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.

There were about 7 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in writing studies from University of Notre Dame

21
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In TN

Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were roughly 6 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Vanderbilt University

22
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In MA
50.0% Growth in Graduates

Wellesley is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Wellesley. This college ranks 12th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were approximately 12 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Wellesley in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Wellesley College

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$41,011 Median Starting Salary

Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Ames. This university ranks 1st out of 40 schools for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 22 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent data year. Those writing studies students who get their degree from Iowa State University receive $8,803 more than the average writing grad.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Iowa State University

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In TX

TCU is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Fort Worth. This university ranks 5th out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were approximately 23 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at TCU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Texas Christian University

25
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Writing Degrees Awarded
$38,156 Median Starting Salary

Clemson is a very large public university located in the suburb of Clemson. This university ranks 1st out of 44 colleges for overall quality in the state of South Carolina.

There were approximately 74 writing studies students who graduated with this degree at Clemson in the most recent data year. Those writing studies students who get their degree from Clemson University earn $5,948 more than the average writing graduate.

More information about a degree in writing studies from Clemson University

Rest of the Top Best Writing Studies Schools

26
27
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
28
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
29
30
31
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
32

33

34
35
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
36
37
38
39
40
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
41

42
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Writing Studies students that almost earned our Best Writing Studies Schools award.

Rank College Location
43 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
44 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
45 Drake University Des Moines, IA
46 Providence College Providence, RI
47 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
48 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
49 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
50 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
51 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
52 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
53 George Washington University Washington, DC
54 University of Houston Houston, TX
55 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
56 Arizona State University - Skysong Scottsdale, AZ

Writing Studies by Region

View the Best Writing Studies Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Writing Studies is one of 9 different types of English Language & Literature programs to choose from.

Writing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Creative Writing 6,817
Professional, Technical, Business, & Scientific Writing 2,441
Rhetoric & Composition 1,871
General Writing 856
Other Rhetoric & Composition/Writing Studies 544

View All Writing Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
General English Literature 40,481
English Literature (Other) 942
Literature 683

View All Writing Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
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Degree Guides by Major
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