COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies bachelor's degree at Emerson College
Boston, MA · 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.
$3,271 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 46.9% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- Not reached
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- −82% · 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.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$112,580
$14,000Annual price−$168,580
$28,000Annual price−$224,580
$42,000Annual price−$280,580
$49,000Current college-wide context−$308,580
$56,000Annual price−$336,580
$70,000Annual price−$392,580
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
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.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$51,742$16,934 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 70 Parent PLUS borrowers.
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$49,180
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$24,250
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$51,742
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$257/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$49,180Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$80,399Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE51.3%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE77.1%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.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
6.0% 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$4,312
Estimated loan payment$257
145borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$51,742 vs. $48,471
$3,271 above the national median for the same field and credential.
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.Writers and Authors$85,260 median wageMA estimate · 1,350 jobs · 27-3043$67,770–$108,030 middle 50% of MA wages-0.3% projected U.S. growth · 11,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEnglish Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$83,980 median wageMA estimate · 2,900 jobs · 25-1123$70,720–$118,120 middle 50% of MA wages+0.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEditors$83,170 median wageMA estimate · 3,100 jobs · 27-3041$61,490–$103,620 middle 50% of MA wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$94,480 median wageMA estimate · 1,790 jobs · 25-1199$82,590–$129,490 middle 50% of MA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeTechnical Writers$109,200 median wageMA estimate · 1,850 jobs · 27-3042$86,060–$134,620 middle 50% of MA wages+0.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeProofreaders and Copy Markers$57,160 median wageMA estimate · 190 jobs · 43-9081$56,430–$67,150 middle 50% of MA wages-0.9% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
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.
University of California, Berkeley
$17,631 higher earnings · $10,213 less debt · $35,699 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $69,373
- Debt
- $14,037
- Annual net price
- $13,481
The University of Texas at Austin
$16,572 higher earnings · $2,927 less debt · $29,323 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $68,314
- Debt
- $21,323
- Annual net price
- $19,857
Clemson University
$15,360 higher earnings · $1,000 less debt · $26,927 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $67,102
- Debt
- $23,250
- Annual net price
- $22,253
Johns Hopkins University
$11,761 higher earnings · $10,522 less debt · $30,371 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $63,503
- Debt
- $13,728
- Annual net price
- $18,809
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
146 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
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 →