Program writer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a program writer. Program writers usually study english, communication, or journalism. 72% of program writers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 181 real program writer resumes to see exactly what program writer education sections show.

The most common colleges for program writers are the University of Washington and the University of Washington.

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

What education do you need to become a program writer?

What degree do you need to be a program writer?

The most common degree for program writers is bachelor's degree, with 72% of program writers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 72%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 9%

Doctorate, 2%

What should I major in to become a program writer?

You should major in english to become a program writer. 12% of program writers major in english. Other common majors for a program writer include communication and journalism.

English, 12%

Communication, 9%

Journalism, 8%

Elementary Education, 8%

Other Majors, 63%

Most common colleges for program writers

Program writers often get their degrees at University of Washington, University of Maryland - College Park, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for program writers in the US based on their resumes.

Program writer common college	Percentages
University of Washington	13.16%
University of Maryland - College Park	10.53%
University of Phoenix	7.89%
Minot State University	7.89%
University of Connecticut	5.26%

Show more common program writer colleges

Best majors for program writers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	English	11.8%
2	Communication	9.4%
3	Journalism	8.2%
4	Elementary Education	8.2%
5	History	7.1%

Show more common program writer majors

Best colleges for program writers

The best colleges for program writers are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Harvard University.

A program writer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for program writers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become program writers.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

8. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

20 best online courses for program writers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for program writers

The most affordable schools for program writers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and university of florida.

If the best universities for program 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 program 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. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

10. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for program writers

The hardest universities for program writers to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for program 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 program 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. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

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

The easiest schools for program writers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and grand view university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a program 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 program writers.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

4. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

5. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

6. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

Average program writer salary by education level

Program writers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $86,505 annually. With a Master's degree, program writers earn a median annual income of $82,127 compared to $81,962 for program writers with an Bachelor's degree.

Program writer education level	Program writer salary
Master's Degree	$82,127
Bachelor's Degree	$81,962
Doctorate Degree	$86,505

Program writer education FAQs

What is the best college for Program Writers?

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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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