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Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Albuquerque, NM · Public · Bachelor's Degree
48 /100
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
53
Optimistic
48
Base Case
41
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,999/yr (15% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (62% exposed)
Job Market Large (48,200 openings/yr)

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $518K $340K $225K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 16.0x 10.5x 6.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.9x 3.2x 2.1x
Viable Career Paths 6 of 6 6 of 6 4 of 6
DegreeWorth Score 53 48 41

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$32,460
Out-of-state: $105,800
Median Debt at Graduation
$13,984
4.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$48,122
42% growth from Year 1

Career Paths

Where Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 48,200 combined openings per year.

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

Compare & Explore

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Other Schools

Wabash College ($50,446) University of Utah ($47,950) Missouri State University-Springfield ($47,377) University of North Texas ($45,015) University of California-Berkeley ($44,553) Arizona State University Campus Immersion ($44,411) Arizona State University Digital Immersion ($44,411) Johns Hopkins University ($43,524)

Other Majors at University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Computer and Information Sciences, General ($89,498) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($82,216) Engineering Science ($64,405) Chemical Engineering ($62,907) Mechanical Engineering ($61,611) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($57,714) Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions ($57,178) Dental Support Services and Allied Professions ($55,003)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeWorth Score for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of New Mexico-Main Campus?
This program scores 48/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 53 (optimistic) to 41 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates retain 6 of 6 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $224,918 (pessimistic) to $518,362 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies have roughly 48,200 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of New Mexico-Main Campus worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 10.5x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 6.9x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
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. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.