Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
37
Optimistic
32
Base Case
24
Pessimistic
Earnings
$21,468/yr (-28% 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 | $445K | $242K | $142K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 7.3x | 3.9x | 2.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 5.8x | 3.2x | 1.9x |
| Viable Career Paths | 6 of 6 | 6 of 6 | 4 of 6 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 37 | 32 | 24 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$61,192
Out-of-state: $76,392
Median Debt at Graduation
$24,007
13.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$38,111
78% 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% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Western Michigan University?
This program scores 32/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 37 (optimistic) to 24 (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 $142,020 (pessimistic) to $445,113 (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 Western Michigan University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 3.9x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 2.3x. 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.