2026 Best Value Creative Writing Schools in Virginia
[Creative Writing](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/creative-writing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value creative writing schools.
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2026 Best Value Creative Writing Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in creative writing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Creative Writing Schools
Our analysis ranked Old Dominion University the best value for a degree in creative writing in Virginia. Old Dominion University is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. In-state tuition and fees average $12,750, with out-of-state students paying around $33,780. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the creative writing program here. Soon after graduation, creative writing degree recipients from Old Dominion University generally make around $35,716. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
George Mason University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in creative writing, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,220, while out-of-state students pay about $38,688. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the creative writing program here. Soon after graduation, creative writing degree recipients from George Mason University generally make around $37,716. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Randolph College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in creative writing, landing the #3 spot this year. Randolph College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,310. Creative Writing graduates carry a median of $25,041 in student loans. Creative Writing graduates of Randolph College earn a median of $43,197 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Randolph College admits about 94% of applicants.
University Of Virginia Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in creative writing, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $23,118 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Creative Writing graduates carry a median of $18,627 in student loans. Creative Writing graduates of University Of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of $69,126 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 17% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in creative writing will find it at Hollins University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Roanoke, Hollins University is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $43,560. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the creative writing program here. Soon after graduation, creative writing degree recipients from Hollins University generally make around $26,798. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Roanoke College earned the #6 position for value in creative writing this year. Located in the suburb of Salem, Roanoke College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $38,068. Creative Writing graduates carry a median of $26,940 in student loans. Early-career creative writing graduates make about $19,925. Set against $26,940 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roanoke College admits about 83% of applicants.
Liberty University landed the #7 spot for creative writing value this year. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,173. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $27,414. Creative Writing graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $35,180 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
More Creative Writing Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
