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Senior writer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior writer. Senior writers usually study english, journalism, or communication. 79% of senior writers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,155 real senior writer resumes to see exactly what senior writer education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior writers are the New York University and the New York University.

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

What education do you need to become a senior writer?

What degree do you need to be a senior writer?

The most common degree for senior writers is bachelor's degree, with 79% of senior writers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 4%.
  • Bachelor's, 79%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a senior writer?

You should major in english to become a senior writer. 21% of senior writers major in english. Other common majors for a senior writer include journalism and communication.

Most common colleges for senior writers

Senior writers often get their degrees at New York University, Syracuse University, and Boston University. Here are the most common colleges for senior writers in the US based on their resumes.
Senior writer common collegePercentages
New York University10.00%
Syracuse University7.25%
Boston University7.25%
Northwestern University5.75%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill5.50%

Best majors for senior writers

RankMajorPercentages
1English21.1%
2Journalism20.1%
3Communication11.5%
4Writing6.1%
5Political Science4.7%

Best colleges for senior writers

The best colleges for senior writers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University.

A senior 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 senior 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 senior writers.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

5. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

10. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

20 best online courses for senior writers

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1. Teaching Reluctant Writers

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All educators will encounter students who struggle with writing. This course first focuses on the reasons student writers may be reluctant and then provides learners with a variety of strategies and practices to help reluctant writers develop a greater comfort and confidence with writing. Learners will examine classroom relationships, mentoring, scaffolding, conferencing, low-risk writing and mini-lessons, all tools and techniques that can be brought right into the classroom to help struggling...

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SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, poses a high risk for senior housing communities and the people who live and work there. The COVID-19 response has largely focused on nursing homes, leaving independent living communities serving older adults in the United States with fragmented guidance on how to respond to COVID-19 challenges. This course provides comprehensive instruction and resources for property owners and managers, senior housing staff, service coordinators and providers,...

3. Fiction for Young Writers (Writing Mastery)

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4.7
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A fun, interactive workshop to help young writers unlock their creativity, improve their craft, and write better stories...

4. Become a Freelance Content Writer - Get Paid to Write Online

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Learn everything you need to know about becoming a freelance writer - Work from home!...

5. Git and GitHub for Writers

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Not a software developer? Learn how to use Git and Git Hub version control in a course specifically designed for writers...

6. Conquering Writer's Block (Writing Mastery)

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4.5
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Proven strategies and tools to overcome writer's block, renew your motivation, and write novels with confidence...

7. Productivity Hacks for Writers (Writing Mastery)

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Simple strategies and proven techniques to be more productive and get the most out of every writing day...

8. Learn API Technical Writing 2: REST for Writers

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API Documentation 2: Teaches technical writers how to document REST. No programming experience required...

9. Grant Writing for Nonprofits and Freelance Writers

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10. Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers

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API Documentation 1: Teaches technical writers how to document structured data. No programming experience required...

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Build wordpress websites using elementor & find freelance web design/development clients to start web design business...

12. Helping Writers to Write and Keep Writing

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This limiting factor with most writers is their mind. This course will help get your state of mind into Success Mode...

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Forbes Contributors Renee Sylvestre-Williams & Matthew Rolnick offer a Comprehensive Guide to Persuasive Copywriting...

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17. Ultimate Web Designer & Web Developer Course

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20. Start A Profitable Freelance Writing Business In 5 Weeks

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How To Earn Between £30 - £100/Hr As A Commercial Freelance Writer In Your Local Area, With Virtually ZERO Competition...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior writers

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

If the best universities for senior 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 senior 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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

8. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

9. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

10. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior writers

The hardest universities for senior writers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for senior 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 senior 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

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,545

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

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. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

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

The easiest schools for senior writers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, university of the incarnate word, and rochester university.

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

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

3. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

8. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average senior writer salary by education level

According to our data, senior writers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $89,809 annually. Senior writers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $84,228.
Senior writer education levelSenior writer salary
Master's Degree$84,228
Bachelor's Degree$83,948
Doctorate Degree$89,809

Senior writer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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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