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Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Degree

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

Schools Offering

121

Avg Grad Earnings

$29,654/yr

Avg DegreeWorth Score

27/100

AI Automation Risk

Very High

61% task exposure

Best Schools for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

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

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

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	54
California State University-Los Angeles	19.0x	$28,725/yr	47
Georgia Southern University	17.4x	$31,447/yr	50
Weber State University	17.3x	$36,205/yr	54
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt	15.6x	$34,309/yr	50
California State University-Long Beach	14.6x	$21,854/yr	40
University of New Mexico-Main Campus	13.8x	$33,999/yr	48
San Francisco State University	13.6x	$32,431/yr	47
University of Nebraska at Kearney	13.5x	$35,726/yr	50
The University of Texas at Arlington	13.2x	$37,883/yr	49

Related Majors

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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 DegreeWorth Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of Utah ranks #1 for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies with a score of 59/100 and graduate earnings of $47,950/yr.

Is a Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies degree worth it?

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.

About This Data

This page aggregates Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies programs across 121 schools using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034), and AI automation risk research from OpenAI and academic institutions.

The DegreeWorth Score (0–100) combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and return on investment. Each school's program page includes three AI scenarios (optimistic, base case, pessimistic) showing how automation could affect 10-year earnings.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.