Home › Majors › Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Degree

121 schools compared · Average earnings $29,654/yr

Students study the art and science of persuasive writing, argumentation, writing pedagogy, and how language shapes thought and public discourse. Graduates typically pursue careers as professional writers, editors, writing center directors, content strategists, UX writers, and writing instructors. Strong writing skills are in perpetual demand, and this major provides some of the deepest training available in effective written communication.

What Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Graduates Do

Your degree prepares you for roles where language is a tool to achieve a specific goal. In the corporate world, you might start as a junior copywriter and progress to a content strategist, managing a company's entire voice. As an editor, you'll shape manuscripts to be market-ready, not just fix typos. Or, as a technical writer, you'll interview engineers to translate complex jargon into clear user guides. Alternatively, in academia, you’ll teach, grade countless essays, and publish research, often starting as an adjunct instructor before competing for tenure-track roles.

Be aware of major shifts facing these careers. With an average AI exposure of 75%, writing and editing are being fundamentally reshaped. AI now handles the first drafts and basic copyediting that junior employees once did, causing entry-level positions to shrink. Your value is no longer in pure content generation but in your ability to architect complex arguments, critically evaluate AI output, and apply sophisticated judgment. While some paths show modest growth, the jobs themselves are changing; fewer people will be hired to do more strategic work.

Schools Offering

121

Avg Grad Earnings

$29,654/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

27/100

AI Automation Risk

Very High

61% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 48,200 combined openings per year.

Career Path	Salary Range	Openings/yr	Growth	AI Risk
Technical writers	$91,670 $69K$103K	4,500	+0.9%	70%
Postsecondary teachers, all other	$78,490 $56K$123K	13,500	+1.8%	0%
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary	$78,270 $60K$104K	5,100	0.0%	53%
Editors	$75,260 $50K$101K	9,800	+0.6%	65%
Writers and authors	$72,270 $53K$98K	13,400	+3.6%	89%
Proofreaders and copy markers	$49,210 $39K$62K	1,900	-0.6%	98%

Technical writers

$91,670

$69K $103K

4,500 openings/yr +0.9% growth 70% AI risk

Postsecondary teachers, all other

$78,490

$56K $123K

13,500 openings/yr +1.8% growth 0% AI risk

English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

$78,270

$60K $104K

5,100 openings/yr 0.0% growth 53% AI risk

Editors

$75,260

$50K $101K

9,800 openings/yr +0.6% growth 65% AI risk

Writers and authors

$72,270

$53K $98K

13,400 openings/yr +3.6% growth 89% AI risk

Proofreaders and copy markers

$49,210

$39K $62K

1,900 openings/yr -0.6% growth 98% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Best Schools for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

Top 20 of 121 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA	50 42–51	$44,553/yr	10.7x
2	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ	50 42–51	$44,411/yr	12.2x
3	Clemson University Clemson, SC	49 41–50	$43,505/yr	10.4x
4	Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO	47 39–49	$47,377/yr	12.9x
5	University of North Texas Denton, TX	47 39–48	$45,015/yr	11.6x
6	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX	47 40–48	$37,883/yr	13.2x
7	University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT	46 37–47	$47,950/yr	11.9x
8	George Mason University Fairfax, VA	46 39–47	$40,114/yr	10.8x
9	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX	46 38–47	$38,713/yr	12.3x
10	Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX	45 37–46	$39,943/yr	11.3x
11	Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO	45 37–46	$39,526/yr	12.2x
12	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA	45 38–46	$37,446/yr	11.4x
13	University of South Florida Tampa, FL	45 39–46	$35,634/yr	20.2x
14	Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN	42 35–43	$39,558/yr	12.0x
15	Texas State University San Marcos, TX	42 35–43	$37,548/yr	11.4x
16	Weber State University Ogden, UT	42 35–42	$36,205/yr	17.3x
17	California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, CA	42 35–42	$34,309/yr	15.6x
18	University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI	39 32–40	$43,267/yr	6.9x
19	Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH	39 31–40	$42,287/yr	6.5x
20	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	39 32–40	$38,407/yr	7.8x
21	University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE	39 33–40	$35,726/yr	13.5x
22	California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	39 35–39	$28,725/yr	19.0x
23	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ	38 30–39	$44,411/yr	—
24	Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA	38 31–39	$35,716/yr	10.0x
25	University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI	38 32–39	$35,423/yr	11.5x
26	University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque, NM	38 32–38	$33,999/yr	13.8x
27	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	37 31–38	$33,401/yr	8.7x
28	Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN	36 29–38	$50,446/yr	1.6x
29	University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Bradford, PA	36 29–36	$35,700/yr	8.2x
30	University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Greensburg, PA	36 29–36	$35,700/yr	8.2x
31	University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown, PA	36 29–36	$35,700/yr	8.2x
32	Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA	36 31–36	$31,447/yr	17.4x
33	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA	35 29–35	$32,431/yr	13.6x
34	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO	34 28–35	$34,339/yr	10.6x
35	Binghamton University Vestal, NY	34 31–34	$24,377/yr	13.1x
36	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA	33 26–33	$35,700/yr	5.2x
37	Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD	31 23–32	$43,524/yr	1.5x
38	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH	31 26–32	$31,218/yr	8.3x
39	St. Joseph's University-New York Brooklyn, NY	30 24–31	$33,205/yr	3.5x
40	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	29 23–29	$31,239/yr	6.3x
41	State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, NY	28 24–28	$28,103/yr	11.2x
42	Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA	28 24–28	$26,242/yr	9.9x
43	University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK	28 25–28	$25,268/yr	12.0x
44	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA	28 26–29	$21,854/yr	14.6x
45	Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH	27 21–27	$31,763/yr	8.1x
46	University of Central Florida Orlando, FL	27 23–27	$26,282/yr	9.3x
47	University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC	27 24–27	$24,205/yr	13.0x
48	Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY	26 19–27	$36,244/yr	1.4x
49	Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI	26 19–26	$34,464/yr	4.6x
50	Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ	26 21–26	$31,006/yr	3.4x
51	Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA	26 22–26	$27,832/yr	6.6x
52	University of Michigan-Flint Flint, MI	26 23–27	$24,195/yr	8.4x
53	Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD	25 19–25	$34,013/yr	0.5x
54	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA	25 20–26	$29,758/yr	7.4x
55	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA	25 20–25	$29,758/yr	7.3x
56	University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR	25 21–25	$27,366/yr	5.8x
57	University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	25 22–26	$26,715/yr	7.8x
58	University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE	25 21–25	$26,360/yr	6.9x
59	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN	25 22–25	$25,084/yr	9.8x
60	Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL	24 18–25	$33,556/yr	2.2x
61	Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA	24 18–25	$33,476/yr	0.2x
62	Pepperdine University Malibu, CA	24 18–24	$33,228/yr	0.2x
63	Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI	24 19–24	$31,016/yr	5.7x
64	Western Washington University Bellingham, WA	24 20–24	$27,116/yr	9.3x
65	University of Idaho Moscow, ID	24 21–24	$25,574/yr	6.3x
66	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH	24 22–25	$23,399/yr	8.5x
67	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH	24 22–25	$23,399/yr	8.5x
68	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH	24 22–25	$23,399/yr	8.5x
69	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH	24 22–25	$23,399/yr	8.5x
70	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH	24 22–25	$23,399/yr	8.5x
71	CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY	24 21–24	$20,242/yr	11.9x
72	Saint Edward's University Austin, TX	23 17–23	$31,518/yr	0.5x
73	Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH	23 18–23	$30,077/yr	5.1x
74	Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies Springfield, MO	23 20–24	$24,127/yr	6.5x
75	Brown University Providence, RI	22 17–22	$30,741/yr	0.1x
76	Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX	22 19–22	$25,292/yr	8.2x
77	Syracuse University Syracuse, NY	22 19–23	$24,935/yr	-0.0x
78	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL	22 19–23	$24,225/yr	6.4x
79	Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI	22 19–22	$23,508/yr	7.3x
80	Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA	21 16–22	$32,415/yr	1.8x
81	DePauw University Greencastle, IN	21 15–21	$31,640/yr	1.6x
82	Macalester College Saint Paul, MN	21 16–21	$29,487/yr	0.1x
83	University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA	21 19–22	$22,251/yr	-0.1x
84	Augustana College Rock Island, IL	21 18–21	$19,775/yr	-0.0x
85	Pratt Institute-Main Brooklyn, NY	21 18–21	$18,842/yr	-0.2x
86	Emerson College Boston, MA	20 14–21	$33,441/yr	1.2x
87	Hamilton College Clinton, NY	20 15–20	$28,442/yr	0.1x
88	Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH	20 18–21	$23,399/yr	3.3x
89	Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI	20 17–20	$23,298/yr	6.9x
90	California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA	20 18–21	$20,726/yr	9.5x
91	Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA	20 18–21	$18,241/yr	-0.1x
92	Oberlin College Oberlin, OH	20 18–21	$15,501/yr	-0.4x
93	Arcadia University Glenside, PA	19 15–19	$27,390/yr	0.4x
94	Lipscomb University Nashville, TN	19 15–19	$26,994/yr	0.7x
95	Manhattanville College Purchase, NY	19 15–19	$26,779/yr	0.6x
96	Calvin University Grand Rapids, MI	19 15–19	$26,637/yr	0.7x
97	Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA	19 15–19	$26,534/yr	2.5x
98	Truman State University Kirksville, MO	19 17–20	$16,569/yr	3.4x
99	Seattle University Seattle, WA	18 13–19	$32,663/yr	0.5x
100	The University of Tampa Tampa, FL	18 15–18	$25,510/yr	0.9x
101	University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA	18 16–19	$21,765/yr	5.7x
102	Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI	18 15–18	$21,468/yr	5.2x
103	SUNY College at Potsdam Potsdam, NY	18 16–19	$20,455/yr	7.5x
104	SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY	18 16–19	$16,556/yr	8.2x
105	Emory University Atlanta, GA	17 12–18	$29,909/yr	1.2x
106	University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA	17 14–18	$26,636/yr	1.4x
107	Drury University Springfield, MO	17 14–18	$24,127/yr	0.7x
108	Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI	17 15–18	$21,696/yr	5.3x
109	Roanoke College Salem, VA	16 13–16	$19,925/yr	0.4x
110	Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA	15 11–15	$28,418/yr	0.9x
111	Taylor University Upland, IN	15 12–15	$25,471/yr	1.8x
112	Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL	15 12–15	$25,060/yr	2.0x
113	Chapman University Orange, CA	15 12–15	$23,939/yr	1.4x
114	Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MI	15 13–16	$17,827/yr	0.2x
115	Ithaca College Ithaca, NY	14 10–14	$26,443/yr	0.9x
116	Full Sail University Winter Park, FL	13 11–14	$23,449/yr	2.0x
117	Champlain College Burlington, VT	12 10–13	$23,237/yr	1.3x
118	Beloit College Beloit, WI	11 9–12	$21,720/yr	0.6x
119	Hamline University Saint Paul, MN	11 9–12	$20,059/yr	1.1x
120	Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA	11 9–12	$19,753/yr	0.9x
121	Knox College Galesburg, IL	10 8–11	$15,466/yr	0.4x

Highest Earning Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Programs

Schools where Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	DW Score
Wabash College	$50,446/yr	36
University of Utah	$47,950/yr	46
Missouri State University-Springfield	$47,377/yr	47
University of North Texas	$45,015/yr	47
University of California-Berkeley	$44,553/yr	50
Arizona State University Campus Immersion	$44,411/yr	50
Arizona State University Digital Immersion	$44,411/yr	38
Johns Hopkins University	$43,524/yr	31
Clemson University	$43,505/yr	49
University of Rhode Island	$43,267/yr	39

Best ROI for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	DW Score
University of South Florida	20.2x	$35,634/yr	45
California State University-Los Angeles	19.0x	$28,725/yr	39
Georgia Southern University	17.4x	$31,447/yr	36
Weber State University	17.3x	$36,205/yr	42
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt	15.6x	$34,309/yr	42
California State University-Long Beach	14.6x	$21,854/yr	28
University of New Mexico-Main Campus	13.8x	$33,999/yr	38
San Francisco State University	13.6x	$32,431/yr	35
University of Nebraska at Kearney	13.5x	$35,726/yr	39
The University of Texas at Arlington	13.2x	$37,883/yr	47

Want to compare two Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Across 121 schools, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates earn an average of $29,654 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $15,466 to $50,446 depending on the school.

What is the AI automation risk for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies?

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies is rated "Very High" for AI automation risk, with an average of 61% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means most career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.

Which school has the best Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies program?

Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of California-Berkeley ranks #1 for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies with a score of 50/100 and graduate earnings of $44,553/yr.

What's the outlook for a Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies degree?

On average, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates earn 6.4x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →