DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
← Program directory
COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies bachelor's degree at Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL · Private nonprofit

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$1,419 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
49.4% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−93% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$47,052 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+61%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$33,556 → $54,045
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
24Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
27Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
Not availableBorrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

44Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
15Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
25Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
32Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$47,052$12,244 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$24,185

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$23,250

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$47,052

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$246/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →
AVERAGE NET PRICE$24,185Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$54,679Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE73.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE70.0%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$33,556Year 1
$47,052Year 4
$54,045Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

6.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$3,921
Estimated loan payment$246
Not availableborrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$47,052 vs. $48,471

$1,419 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$77,570 median wageIL estimate · 2,570 jobs · 25-1123$51,090–$102,600 middle 50% of IL wages+0.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEditors$76,060 median wageIL estimate · 4,560 jobs · 27-3041$62,370–$100,750 middle 50% of IL wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeWriters and Authors$68,220 median wageIL estimate · 2,640 jobs · 27-3043$43,440–$97,280 middle 50% of IL wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$59,590 median wageIL estimate · 990 jobs · 25-1199$31,200–$76,790 middle 50% of IL wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeTechnical Writers$88,700 median wageIL estimate · 1,040 jobs · 27-3042$73,140–$106,650 middle 50% of IL wages+0.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeProofreaders and Copy Markers$50,060 median wageIL estimate · 300 jobs · 43-9081$37,770–$59,350 middle 50% of IL wages-0.9% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

01

Educational Services

about 35.6%
02

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 11.6%
03

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 7.3%
04

Information

about 6.9%
05

Wholesale Trade

about 5.8%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Carbondale, IL

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

$9,580 higher earnings · $10,888 lower annual net price

Earnings
$56,632
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$13,297
View outcomes →
Jacksonville, IL

Illinois College

$5,887 lower annual net price

Earnings
$45,716
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$18,298
View outcomes →
Champaign, IL

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

$9,830 lower annual net price

Earnings
$44,004
Debt
$23,250
Annual net price
$14,355
View outcomes →
Rock Island, IL

Augustana College

$1,449 lower annual net price

Earnings
$33,950
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$22,736
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

27 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →