Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Master's Degree · about 30 graduates a year

$41,328
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$73,113
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$55,035
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#8 of 75
Rank by pay
#13 of 75
Rank, wage-adjusted
$47,128
Median federal debt

San Diego State University graduates in rhetoric and composition/writing studies earn 33% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 64% of one year’s pay at that point.

How San Diego State University Compares for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

All 75 colleges reporting rhetoric and composition/writing studies earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjustedAdj. rank1 yr after
1Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia, PA$129,192$131,389#1—
2University of North Texas Denton, TX$80,536$81,881#2$52,948
3Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD$79,084$69,405#10$55,398
4Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA$78,716$80,055#3$53,254
5University at Albany Albany, NY$76,461$72,775#6$50,934
6Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX$75,064$76,318#5$47,951
7Boise State University Boise, ID$73,481$78,137#4$55,136
8San Diego State University San Diego, CA$73,113$66,528#13$41,328
9Northeastern University Boston, MA$72,910$64,205#18$77,360
10Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MA$72,910$64,205#19$77,360
11University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA$71,471$65,034#16$51,069

Other Majors at San Diego State University by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$165,564—#21 of 432
Business Administration, Management and Operations$120,682$84,731#157 of 861
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services—$114,126—
Psychology$111,549$62,663#1 of 92
Finance and Financial Management Services$110,830$100,697#35 of 69
Accounting and Related Services$103,392$74,647#95 of 349
International Relations and National Security Studies$94,199$63,873#15 of 40
Public Administration$91,303$71,810#38 of 243
Statistics—$88,511—
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services$87,991$78,478#10 of 243
Civil Engineering—$86,359—
Communication and Media Studies$84,280$50,487#15 of 61
Special Education and Teaching$84,034$71,495#21 of 280
Public Health$83,325$70,475#83 of 201
Educational Administration and Supervision$82,905$69,910#83 of 453
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$82,189$69,519#22 of 285
Social Work$78,813$61,978#15 of 279
Student Counseling and Personnel Services$74,187$52,062#31 of 302
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions$70,426$57,626#118 of 211
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$67,588—#3 of 41
Criminology$67,163—#8 of 15
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$61,680$47,098#144 of 380
English Language and Literature$48,158—#41 of 43

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do San Diego State University rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $41,328 one year after graduating and $73,113 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does San Diego State University rank for rhetoric and composition/writing studies?

Among 75 colleges reporting earnings for rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates, San Diego State University ranks #8 by median pay four years after graduation, and #13 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is rhetoric and composition/writing studies at San Diego State University worth it?

Its graduates earn 33% more than the national median for rhetoric and composition/writing studies ($55,035), and the median federal debt at graduation is $47,128.

← All data for San Diego State University · Methodology

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.