Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Portland State University

Portland, OR · Master's Degree · about 20 graduates a year

$41,170
Median pay 1 year after graduating
$43,137
Median pay 4 years after graduating
$55,035
National median for this major (4 yrs)
#70 of 75
Rank by pay
#70 of 75
Rank, wage-adjusted
$41,000
Median federal debt

Portland State University graduates in rhetoric and composition/writing studies earn 22% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 95% of one year’s pay at that point.

How Portland 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
…
67Pacific University Forest Grove, OR$46,651$46,926#63$49,513
68Full Sail University Winter Park, FL$44,962$47,856#62$36,401
69University of Iowa Iowa City, IA$43,469$45,724#65$29,655
70Portland State University Portland, OR$43,137$43,391#70$41,170
71School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL$42,100$41,363#72$37,157
72Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA$42,032$42,747#71—
73University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV$37,596$39,020#73$27,533

Other Majors at Portland State University by Graduate Pay

Major4 yrs after1 yr afterRank in major
Computer Science$145,715$105,287#30 of 48
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$139,274$115,939#24 of 62
Business Administration, Management and Operations$123,281$99,771#143 of 861
Real Estate$117,821$77,791#13 of 15
Finance and Financial Management Services$113,459—#32 of 69
Mechanical Engineering$107,077$97,958#65 of 83
Public Administration$99,801$73,655#19 of 243
Civil Engineering$93,150—#51 of 81
Taxation$81,454$66,631#30 of 30
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning$80,453$57,357#22 of 36
Social Work$77,091$57,241#22 of 279
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services$76,980$61,171#35 of 243
Curriculum and Instruction$76,554$64,503#15 of 190
Applied Mathematics—$73,557—
Public Policy Analysis$73,504—#46 of 50
Architecture$71,002—#35 of 50
Special Education and Teaching$67,504$56,409#81 of 280
Geography and Cartography—$67,045—
Educational Administration and Supervision$63,168$57,547#338 of 453
Student Counseling and Personnel Services$63,034$48,263#93 of 302
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$62,874$43,030#121 of 380
Education$61,014$50,274#125 of 214
Publishing$58,153$23,449#5 of 5
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language$43,242—#51 of 52

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Graduates earn a median $41,170 one year after graduating and $43,137 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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

Among 75 colleges reporting earnings for rhetoric and composition/writing studies graduates, Portland State University ranks #70 by median pay four years after graduation, and #70 after adjusting for state wage levels.

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

Its graduates earn 22% less than the national median for rhetoric and composition/writing studies ($55,035), and the median federal debt at graduation is $41,000.

← All data for Portland 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.