Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$65,582 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$65,582Median year-4 earnings
$8,134Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Four useful answers about Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
How much do Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduate/professional certificate graduates earn?
The national median is $65,582 four years after completion across reportable graduate/professional certificate programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $65,582 to $65,582 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 6 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$65,582Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
31thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
4IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
1With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 1 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,877
- Federal debt
- $26,698
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,418
- Federal debt
- $25,250
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,141
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 153
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,116
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 76
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,788
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,582
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$65,582National median$65,58275th percentile$65,582
1 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
1 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Indiana University-East$65,582Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,760 median wage57,720 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1123+0.0% projected employment, 2025–35 · 4.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$48,270–$137,250 10th–90th percentileEditors$77,920 median wage91,690 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-3041-1.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 7.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$41,250–$153,700 10th–90th percentileWriters and Authors$76,910 median wage47,940 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-3043-0.3% projected employment, 2025–35 · 11.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$44,310–$139,870 10th–90th percentilePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,640 median wage149,840 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1199+2.0% projected employment, 2025–35 · 12.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$44,300–$160,700 10th–90th percentileTechnical Writers$90,390 median wage45,500 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-3042+0.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.2k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$57,440–$145,270 10th–90th percentileProofreaders and Copy Markers$51,120 median wage4,580 U.S. jobs · SOC 43-9081-0.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$34,510–$79,290 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University-EastGraduate/Professional Certificate | Richmond, IN | $65,582 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $8,134 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.