Best Schools for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates earn a median of $49,321 within four years of graduating, ranking #239 out of 283 tracked majors — 21% below the median across all fields. There are 171 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 7,729 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: University of Richmond graduates earn $81,253 while University of Central Arkansas graduates earn $32,267 — a $48,986 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates see an average 8% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

171

Schools

$49,321

Avg. 2yr Earnings

#239

of 283 Majors

7,729

Graduates

Public vs Private: Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

Public (99 schools)

$49,916

avg. 2yr earnings

Private (71 schools)

$49,324

avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies by State

Also by state: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

Top Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Schools by Graduate Earnings

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA · Private

$81,253

4yr Earnings

19 grads · small sample

Acceptance: 23.3%

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT · Public

$75,686

4yr Earnings

16 grads · small sample

1yr: $37,281 (23)

Acceptance: 87.2%

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA · Private

$71,205

4yr Earnings

28 grads · small sample

2yr: $42,682 (26)

1yr: $39,593 (22)

Acceptance: 11.4%

Iowa State University

Ames, IA · Public

$69,673

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

1yr: $41,011 (19)

Acceptance: 89.1%

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY · Private

$68,522

4yr Earnings

18 grads · small sample

Acceptance: 57.3%

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, MN · Private

$67,607

4yr Earnings

22 grads · small sample

1yr: $34,729 (18)

Acceptance: 90.5%

Clemson University

Clemson, SC · Public

Wabash College

Crawfordsville, IN · Private

$65,605

4yr Earnings

24 grads · small sample

2yr: $49,058 (14)

Acceptance: 62.8%

#11

College of Saint Benedict

Saint Joseph, MN · Private

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD · Private

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore, MD · Private

$62,745

4yr Earnings

27 grads · small sample

University of North Texas

Denton, TX · Public

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI · Private

$62,473

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA · Public

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Kearney, NE · Public

$61,941

4yr Earnings

18 grads · small sample

2yr: $28,960 (21)

Acceptance: 85.8%

#18

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ · Public

Miami University-Oxford

Oxford, OH · Public

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

$60,940

4yr Earnings

29 grads · small sample

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX · Public

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

Seattle University

Seattle, WA · Private

$60,291

4yr Earnings

19 grads · small sample

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN · Public

$59,779

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ · For-Profit

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX · Public

St. Joseph's University-New York

Brooklyn, NY · Private

University at Albany

Albany, NY · Public

$57,286

4yr Earnings

20 grads · small sample

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · Public

University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

Bradford, PA · Public

University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg

Greensburg, PA · Public

University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

Johnstown, PA · Public

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA · Public

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL · Public

$56,632

4yr Earnings

28 grads · small sample

University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Albuquerque, NM · Public

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

Denver, CO · Public

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO · Public

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

$54,848

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL · Public

$54,778

4yr Earnings

27 grads · small sample

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA · Public

University of Wisconsin-Stout

Menomonie, WI · Public

Saint Edward's University

Austin, TX · Private

$53,151

4yr Earnings

24 grads · small sample

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI · Public

$52,625

4yr Earnings

27 grads · small sample

DePauw University

Greencastle, IN · Private

Showing top 50 of 171 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Psychology, General $29,179 Physical Sciences, Other $29,116 Sociology and Anthropology $29,022 Natural Sciences $29,014 English Language and Literature, General $28,967 Bible/Biblical Studies $28,836

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies?

University of Richmond ranks #1 for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies with median graduate earnings of $81,253 within four years of graduating. There are 171 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.

How much do Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates earn?

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates earn an average of $49,321 within four years of graduating. This is 21% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $32,267 to $81,253 depending on the school.

How hard is it to get into a top Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies program?

The average acceptance rate across Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies programs is 72.5%. The most selective program is at Columbia University in the City of New York with a 4.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.

Is a public or private school better for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies?

Private Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies programs average $49,324 in early earnings vs $49,916 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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