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Best Schools for Writing & Rhetoric in 2026

121 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Writing & Rhetoric, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Writing & Rhetoric graduate earns $29,654/yr across 121 schools.

Programs Ranked

121

Avg Earnings

$29,654/yr

Avg DW Score

37/100

AI Risk

Very High

61% task exposure

All Writing & Rhetoric Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

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

Methodology

Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Writing & Rhetoric?

Based on our DegreeWorth Score, Missouri State University-Springfield ranks #1 for Writing & Rhetoric with a score of 59/100 and graduate earnings of $47,377/yr.

How much do Writing & Rhetoric graduates earn?

Across 121 schools, Writing & Rhetoric graduates earn an average of $29,654/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $50,446/yr.

Is Writing & Rhetoric a good major for AI resistance?

Writing & Rhetoric has an average AI task exposure of 61%, rated "Very High". This field has significant AI exposure. Check individual program pages for scenario analysis.

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.