by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 14 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of creative writing. Combined, these schools handed out 289 master's degrees in creative writing to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The creative writing master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality creative writing program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for creative writing students working on their master's degree.
The creative writing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Creative Writing Master's Degree Schools in California.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in creative writing.
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in creative writing needs to look into San Diego State University. SDSU is a very large public university located in the large city of San Diego.More information about a master’s in creative writing from San Diego State University
San Jose State University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in creative writing. San Jose State is a fairly large public university located in the city of San Jose.More information about a master’s in creative writing from San Jose State University
It is difficult to beat National University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in creative writing. Located in the city of San Diego, National University is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in creative writing from National University
It is difficult to beat University of California - Riverside if you wish to pursue a master's degree in creative writing. Located in the large city of Riverside, UCR is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in creative writing from University of California - Riverside
USFCA is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of San Francisco.More information about a master’s in creative writing from University of San Francisco
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in creative writing from University of California - Davis
SFSU is a very large public university located in the large city of San Francisco.More information about a master’s in creative writing from San Francisco State University
CSULB is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Long Beach.More information about a master’s in creative writing from California State University - Long Beach
SMC is a small private not-for-profit college located in the suburb of Moraga.More information about a master’s in creative writing from Saint Mary’s College of California
Chapman is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Orange.More information about a master’s in creative writing from Chapman University
Learn about other programs related to Creative Writing that might interest you.
Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction
Harness your passion for storytelling with SNHU's Mountainview Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction. In this small, two-year creative writing program, students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty remotely for most of the semester but convene for weeklong intensive residencies in June and January. At residencies, students critique each other's work face-to-face, meet with major authors, agents and editors and learn how to teach at the college level.
Explore all the Best Creative Writing Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 402 | 91 |
| Oregon | 291 | 63 |
| Nevada | 126 | 36 |
| Alaska | 65 | 14 |
One of 4 majors within the Writing Studies area of study, Creative Writing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Writing | 46 |
| Other Rhetoric & Composition/Writing Studies | 10 |
