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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Creative Writing in California

35 Ranked Colleges
522 Degrees Awarded
$39,600 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Creative Writing is the 120th most popular major in the country with 6,817 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 522 creative writing graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California” ranking, we looked at 35 colleges that offer a degree in creative writing. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in creative writing.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Creative Writing Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california creative writing students.

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 102 degrees to qualified ’s creative writing students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Creative Writing at UCR

2
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chapman University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California. Located in Orange, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 58 degrees to qualified ’s creative writing students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Chapman University Creative Writing Report

3
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Creative Writing at USC

4
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University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of San Francisco. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California. University of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of San Francisco Creative Writing Report

5
Antioch University - Los Angeles crest
Antioch University - Los Angeles
Culver City, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Antioch University - Los Angeles. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. This small school is located in Culver City, California, and it awarded 26 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Creative Writing at Antioch University - Los Angeles

5
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National University
La Jolla, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend National University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. This fairly large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 25 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full National University Creative Writing Report

7
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San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full SFSU Creative Writing Report

8
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California College of the Arts
San Francisco, California

California College of the Arts came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. This small school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 16 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at California College of the Arts

8

Saint Mary’s College of California ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. Saint Mary’s College of California is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Moraga, California. It awarded 16 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full SMC Creative Writing Report

10
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San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified ’s creative writing students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Creative Writing at San Diego State University

11

California Institute of the Arts came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. California Institute of the Arts is a small school located in Valencia, California that handed out 13 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at CalArts

12
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Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, California

Mount Saint Mary’s University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. Mount Saint Mary’s University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Mount Saint Mary’s University Creative Writing Report

13

University of California - Irvine came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 11 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at UC Irvine

13
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Mills College
Oakland, California

Mills College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. Mills College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oakland, California. It awarded 11 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Mills Creative Writing Report

15

California State University - Long Beach came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 10 degrees to qualified ’s creative writing students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at CSULB

15
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California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. Cal Baptist is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 10 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Creative Writing at Cal Baptist

15
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University of Redlands
Redlands, California

With a ranking of #15, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Redlands, California. It awarded 10 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at University of Redlands

18
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Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. Pepperdine is a fairly large school located in Malibu, California that handed out 8 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Pepperdine University Creative Writing Report

18

California State University - Fresno landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 8 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at California State University - Fresno

20
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified ’s creative writing students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Creative Writing at San Jose State

21
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Long Beach City College
Long Beach, California

With a ranking of #21, Long Beach City College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. Long Beach City College is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s creative writing degrees to qualified students.

Full Long Beach City College Creative Writing Report

22

University of California - Davis landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s creative writing degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UC Davis Creative Writing Report

22
ULV crest
University of La Verne
La Verne, California

University of La Verne did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. ULV is located in La Verne, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s creative writing degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Creative Writing at ULV

22

Dominican University of California did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. Located in San Rafael, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified ’s creative writing students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Dominican University of California Creative Writing Report

25
Otis College of Art and Design crest
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, California

Otis College of Art and Design ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Creative Writing Major in California list. Otis College of Art and Design is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 3 ’s creative writing degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Creative Writing at Otis College of Art and Design

Notes and References

References

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