Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL · Bachelor's Degree · about 46 graduates a year
Columbia College Chicago graduates in rhetoric and composition/writing studies earn 18% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 68% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Columbia College Chicago 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.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Richmond University Of Richmond, VA | $81,253 | $73,988 | #2 | — |
| 2 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | $75,686 | $71,733 | #5 | $47,950 |
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | $71,205 | $72,416 | #4 | — |
| 4 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | $69,673 | $73,287 | #3 | — |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $69,373 | $63,125 | #17 | $44,553 |
| 6 | Hobart William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY | $68,522 | $65,219 | #9 | — |
| 7 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | $68,314 | $69,455 | #7 | $38,713 |
| 8 | Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN | $67,607 | $64,579 | #12 | — |
| 9 | Clemson University Clemson, SC | $67,102 | $74,406 | #1 | $43,505 |
| 10 | Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN | $65,605 | $70,382 | #6 | $50,446 |
| … | |||||
| 113 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH | $39,966 | $36,813 | #126 | $30,077 |
| 114 | Pratt Institute-Main Brooklyn, NY | $39,915 | $37,991 | #121 | $18,842 |
| 115 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | $39,837 | $37,917 | #122 | $20,242 |
| 116 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL | $39,751 | $39,055 | #114 | $25,060 |
| 117 | Beloit College Beloit, WI | $39,702 | $41,312 | #105 | $21,720 |
| 118 | University of Houston Houston, TX | $39,645 | $40,307 | #110 | — |
| 119 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM | $39,479 | $45,710 | #78 | — |
Other Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Credentials at Columbia College Chicago
| Credential | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $33,972 | $57,240 | $48,604 |
Other Majors at Columbia College Chicago by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $66,798 | $39,794 | #61 of 178 |
| Marketing | $65,686 | $36,386 | #280 of 516 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $56,482 | $34,798 | #920 of 1176 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $54,357 | $24,191 | #53 of 158 |
| Journalism | $51,639 | $31,369 | #126 of 187 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $50,592 | $23,844 | #17 of 43 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $49,593 | $25,999 | #158 of 207 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $48,601 | $29,630 | #191 of 299 |
| American Sign Language | $45,619 | $33,775 | #10 of 20 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $44,703 | — | #90 of 103 |
| Graphic Communications | $43,970 | $26,309 | #29 of 59 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | $43,731 | $20,927 | #16 of 19 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $42,176 | $22,765 | #194 of 423 |
| Dance | $41,842 | — | #26 of 58 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $41,200 | $23,905 | #102 of 144 |
| Music | $40,734 | $19,943 | #174 of 268 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $39,986 | $17,929 | #130 of 255 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Columbia College Chicago rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $25,060 one year after graduating and $39,751 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Columbia College Chicago rank for rhetoric and composition/writing studies?
Among 137 colleges reporting earnings for rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates, Columbia College Chicago ranks #116 by median pay four years after graduation, and #114 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is rhetoric and composition/writing studies at Columbia College Chicago worth it?
Its graduates earn 18% less than the national median for rhetoric and composition/writing studies ($48,471), and the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
← All data for Columbia College Chicago · 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.