Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Bachelor's Degree · about 41 graduates a year

$26,636
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$41,637
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$48,471
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#95 of 137
Rank by pay
#123 of 137
Rank, wage-adjusted
$19,131
Median federal debt

University of Southern California graduates in rhetoric and composition/writing studies earn 14% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 46% of one year’s pay at that point.

How University of Southern California Compares for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

All 137 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
1University of Richmond University Of Richmond, VA$81,253$73,988#2—
2University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT$75,686$71,733#5$47,950
3Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA$71,205$72,416#4—
4Iowa State University Ames, IA$69,673$73,287#3—
5University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA$69,373$63,125#17$44,553
6Hobart William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY$68,522$65,219#9—
7The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX$68,314$69,455#7$38,713
8Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN$67,607$64,579#12—
9Clemson University Clemson, SC$67,102$74,406#1$43,505
10Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN$65,605$70,382#6$50,446
…
92California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA$42,232$38,428#118$20,726
93Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA$41,971$38,604#117$27,832
94University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK$41,870$47,010#69$25,268
95University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA$41,637$37,887#123$26,636
96California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA$41,123$37,419#124$21,854
97California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, CA$41,105$37,403#125$34,309
98Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA$40,989$41,686#103$19,753

Other Majors at University of Southern California by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Computer Science$192,897$137,284#15 of 349
Computer Engineering$166,369—#8 of 189
Real Estate$143,977$98,763#1 of 25
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$131,532$89,684#9 of 258
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$125,514$78,980#1 of 59
Accounting and Related Services$121,101$73,903#6 of 796
Computer Software and Media Applications$115,839$103,071#4 of 54
Industrial Engineering$112,150$87,807#7 of 94
Business Administration, Management and Operations$109,128$71,668#16 of 1176
Real Estate Development$107,292$49,353—
Civil Engineering$106,308$85,262#4 of 233
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning$106,094—#1 of 17
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$105,415$80,508#17 of 118
Mechanical Engineering$104,649$83,356#20 of 318
Applied Mathematics$101,094$71,622#18 of 45
Chemical Engineering$100,646$68,234#50 of 158
Engineering-Related Fields$96,120$73,234#9 of 33
Economics$94,435$57,060#85 of 368
Cognitive Science$93,440$34,295#7 of 19
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$91,726$69,479#2 of 76
Public Health$89,522$36,300#3 of 215
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$89,203$38,063#3 of 67
Design and Applied Arts$89,022$64,846#5 of 299
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$87,946$50,041#3 of 178
International Relations and National Security Studies$84,866$52,262#12 of 118
History$79,940$36,876#12 of 459
Journalism$79,776$44,651#4 of 187
Architectural Sciences and Technology$78,741$47,874#4 of 22
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$78,731—#3 of 265
Communication and Media Studies$75,864$47,651#20 of 660

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do University of Southern California rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates make?

Graduates earn a median $26,636 one year after graduating and $41,637 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

How does University of Southern California rank for rhetoric and composition/writing studies?

Among 137 colleges reporting earnings for rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates, University of Southern California ranks #95 by median pay four years after graduation, and #123 after adjusting for state wage levels.

Is rhetoric and composition/writing studies at University of Southern California worth it?

Its graduates earn 14% less than the national median for rhetoric and composition/writing studies ($48,471), and the median federal debt at graduation is $19,131.

← All data for University of Southern California · 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.