Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Offered at 899 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 112 | $36,724 | $52,074 | $21,562 |
| Associate | 51 | — | $42,146 | — |
| Bachelor's | 393 | $35,359 | $47,586 | $22,374 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 1 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 256 | $46,554 | $59,020 | — |
| Doctoral | 24 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 62 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $36,724, versus $35,359 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $51,072 | $73,661 | $23,000 |
| 2 | University of Iowa | IA | $41,963 | $56,065 | $20,124 |
| 3 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College | GA | — | $52,074 | — |
| 4 | Chattahoochee Technical College | GA | — | $41,783 | — |
| 5 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | OH | $36,724 | — | — |
| 6 | University of Cincinnati-Clermont College | OH | $36,724 | — | — |
| 7 | Delta College | MI | — | $34,789 | — |
| 8 | Central Michigan University | MI | $32,503 | — | $27,519 |
| 9 | Full Sail University | FL | $26,148 | — | $15,406 |
| 10 | Boise State University | ID | $21,677 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | — | $46,118 | — |
| 2 | Austin Community College District | TX | — | $46,087 | — |
| 3 | Stark State College | OH | — | $42,146 | — |
| 4 | Full Sail University | FL | $21,509 | $36,419 | $36,338 |
| 5 | El Paso Community College | TX | — | $26,623 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $57,788 | $86,050 | $12,500 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $54,078 | $76,989 | $25,954 |
| 3 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $54,078 | $76,989 | $25,954 |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $40,078 | $74,945 | — |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $49,298 | $72,603 | $16,000 |
| 6 | Syracuse University | NY | $54,123 | $72,519 | $23,000 |
| 7 | Manhattanville University | NY | — | $71,692 | — |
| 8 | Texas Tech University | TX | $43,012 | $71,358 | $26,000 |
| 9 | George Mason University | VA | — | $69,737 | $18,500 |
| 10 | Miami University-Oxford | OH | $41,295 | $69,591 | $23,250 |
| 11 | University of Utah | UT | $45,398 | $68,983 | — |
| 12 | James Madison University | VA | $39,049 | $66,987 | $15,000 |
| 13 | Loyola University Maryland | MD | $40,110 | $65,638 | $25,053 |
| 14 | University at Albany | NY | — | $65,368 | — |
| 15 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | PA | $46,732 | $64,906 | $22,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | OH | $62,412 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $46,076 | $143,233 | — |
| 2 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | WA | $46,076 | $143,233 | — |
| 3 | University at Albany | NY | $58,490 | $83,125 | — |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $69,636 | $82,826 | — |
| 5 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | PA | $82,459 | — | — |
| 6 | George Mason University | VA | $55,121 | $80,575 | — |
| 7 | Metropolitan State University | MN | — | $78,876 | — |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $70,466 | $78,515 | — |
| 9 | CUNY City College | NY | $57,386 | $76,882 | — |
| 10 | San Diego State University | CA | $48,289 | $76,861 | — |
| 11 | Texas Tech University | TX | $56,842 | $76,627 | — |
| 12 | Texas State University | TX | $48,574 | $74,225 | — |
| 13 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $72,272 | $72,195 | — |
| 14 | Towson University | MD | $64,186 | $71,111 | — |
| 15 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $28,455 | $70,964 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | $40,081 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in rhetoric and composition/writing studies reports median earnings of $35,359. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
