Creative writer education requirements

Q: What job can you get with a creative writing degree?

You can get a job as a copywriter, columnist, or journalist with a creative writing degree. Career fields ranging from copywriter to journalist are available to someone holding a degree in creative writing. Many recent graduates with a creative writing degree begin their careers as copywriters. Copywriting can pay well even for many entry-level positions. As a copywriter, you will create content to raise brand awareness and marketability. In addition to writing skills , copywriters must be skilled at research and able to work within a marketing team. Listening to the client's needs and responding positively to criticism are also important for copywriters. Some with a creative writing degree become columnists. These individuals may work as in-house employees for a magazine, newspaper, or website. Typically, these columnists specialize in an area and report on current events and news related to that subject. Other columnists are self-employed and write freelance work that media outlets pick up. It is important to have a style and point of view as a columnist, as some readers will be drawn to your writing for those reasons. Journalism is another field open to creative writers. This is a difficult profession in which to become established. Unique to journalistic writing is the responsibility for thorough and ethical research and reporting. With the digital availability of news, people can choose from a variety of content. Journalists have a professional obligation to provide honest and unbiased content. This is a competitive field; many print publications have folded, returning experienced journalists into the job market.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a creative writer. Creative writers usually study english, communication, or writing. 73% of creative writers hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 727 real creative writer resumes to see exactly what creative writer education sections show.

The most common colleges for creative writers are the University of Iowa and the University of Iowa.

There are also many online creative writer courses to help get the education required to be a creative writer.

What education do you need to become a creative writer?

What degree do you need to be a creative writer?

The most common degree for creative writers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of creative writers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 10% and associate degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 73%

Associate, 10%

Master's, 9%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a creative writer?

You should major in english to become a creative writer. 20% of creative writers major in english. Other common majors for a creative writer include communication and writing.

English, 20%

Communication, 17%

Writing, 10%

Journalism, 9%

Other Majors, 44%

Most common colleges for creative writers

Creative writers often get their degrees at University of Iowa, Eastern Michigan University, and University of Central Florida. Here are the most common colleges for creative writers in the US based on their resumes.

Creative writer common college	Percentages
University of Iowa	10.45%
Eastern Michigan University	7.46%
University of Central Florida	7.46%
University of Wisconsin Colleges	5.97%
Louisiana State University and A&M College	4.48%

Show more common creative writer colleges

Best majors for creative writers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	English	20.4%
2	Communication	16.8%
3	Writing	10.1%
4	Journalism	9.0%
5	Photography	6.0%

Show more common creative writer majors

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

20 best online courses for creative writers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for creative writers

The most affordable schools for creative writers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for creative writers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for creative writers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for creative writers

The hardest universities for creative writers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for creative writers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for creative writers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for creative writers

The easiest schools for creative writers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and rochester university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a creative writer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for creative writers.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

Average creative writer salary by education level

According to our data, creative writers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $83,525 annually. Creative writers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $77,477.

Creative writer education level	Creative writer salary
Master's Degree	$77,477
Bachelor's Degree	$77,175
Doctorate Degree	$83,525

Creative writer education FAQs

What job can you get with a creative writing degree?

What is the best college for Creative Writers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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