2025 Best Creative Writing Schools
    
    
        
        129
        Colleges in the United States
    
 
    
        
        7,164
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
If you pursue a degree in 
creative writing, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #120 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
College Factual reviewed 129 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of creative writing. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 7,164 degrees in creative writing annually.
What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings
 
Choosing a Great Creative Writing School

Your choice of creative writing school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Creative Writing School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Creative Writing Rankings by Degree Level
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 Schools.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
 
Best Schools for Creative Writing in the United States
The schools below may not offer all types of creative writing degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
25 Top Schools in Creative Writing
	
	
    
    
        
        Bachelor's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In PA
    
 
    
        
        119
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Every student who is interested in creative writing has to take a look at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. Pitt is a fairly large  public university  located in the large city of Pittsburgh. This  university  ranks 6th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were about 119 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In MD
    
 
    
        
        80
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Any student pursuing a degree in creative writing has to check out Johns Hopkins University. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit  university  with a very large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #6 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Johns Hopkins is a great  university  overall.
There were roughly 80 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University
	
	
        
            
                Bachelors
                Degree Type
            
            
                BA in Creative Writing & English
                Program Name
            
         
        Develop your creativity and gain practical skills with a creative writing degree program –featuring 100% online classes – through a bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
        More information about a degree in BA in Creative Writing & English from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
            
    
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        5th
        Most Popular In IL
    
 
 
	
Northwestern University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in creative writing. Located in the small city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit  university  with a fairly large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great  university  overall.
There were about 11 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Northwestern University
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In NY
    
 
    
        
        174
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Columbia University in the City of New York is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in creative writing. Columbia is a very large  private not-for-profit university  located in the large city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #15 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great  university  overall.
There were about 174 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Columbia University in the City of New York
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        2nd
        Most Popular In WA
    
 
    
        
        50
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
UW Seattle is a very large  public university  located in the large city of Seattle. A Best Colleges rank of #44 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UW Seattle is a great  university  overall.
There were approximately 50 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
	
	
 
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        3rd
        Most Popular In TX
    
 
    
        
        100
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
UT Austin is a fairly large  public university  located in the city of Austin. A Best Colleges rank of #46 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great  university  overall.
There were approximately 100 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from The University of Texas at Austin
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        6th
        Most Popular In MA
    
 
 
	
Located in the large city of Boston, Boston U is a private not-for-profit  university  with a very large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #23 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Boston U is a great  university  overall.
There were approximately 17 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Boston University
	
	
        
            
                Masters
                Degree Type
            
            
                MFA in Creative Writing - Online
                Program Name
            
         
        Embrace your passion for storytelling and learn the professional writing skills you'll need to succeed with our online MFA in Creative Writing. Write your novel or short story collection while earning a certificate in the Online Teaching of Writing or Professional Writing, with no residency requirement.
        More information about a degree in MFA in Creative Writing - Online from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
            
    
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In VA
    
 
    
        
        47
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Located in the suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public  university  with a very large  student population. This  university  ranks 4th out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
There were about 47 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from George Mason University
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In OH
    
 
    
        
        46
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public  university  with a large  student population. This  university  ranks 5th out of 91 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.
There were approximately 46 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Miami University - Oxford in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Miami University - Oxford
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In RI
    
 
    
        
        48
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Brown is a large  private not-for-profit university  located in the city of Providence. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Brown is a great  university  overall.
There were about 48 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Brown University
	
	
 
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        4th
        Most Popular In OH
    
 
 
	
Located in the fringe town of Bowling Green, BGSU is a public  university  with a large  student population. This  university  ranks 18th out of 91 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.
There were roughly 26 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at BGSU in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Bowling Green State University - Main Campus
	
	
        
            
                Masters
                Degree Type
            
            
                MA in English & Creative Writing
                Program Name
            
         
        Refine your writing skills and take a step toward furthering your career with this online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.
        More information about a degree in MA in English & Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
            
    
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In AZ
    
 
    
        
        73
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
University of Arizona is a very large  public university  located in the city of Tucson. This  university  ranks 3rd out of 26 colleges for overall quality in the state of Arizona.
There were about 73 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at University of Arizona in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Arizona
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In MI
    
 
    
        
        48
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public  university  with a very large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #22 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great  university  overall.
There were roughly 48 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
	
	
	
	
	
Located in the medium-sized city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit  university  with a fairly large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #62 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Syracuse is a great  university  overall.
There were approximately 12 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Syracuse in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Syracuse University
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In MA
    
 
    
        
        185
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Emerson is a medium-sized  private not-for-profit college  located in the city of Boston. This  college  ranks 16th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
There were about 185 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Emerson in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Emerson College
	
	
 
        
            
                Bachelors
                Degree Type
            
            
                BA English in Professional Writing
                Program Name
            
         
        Expand your professional skillset with this specialized online degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
        More information about a degree in BA English in Professional Writing from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
            
    
	
	
	
Located in the small city of West Lafayette, Purdue is a public  university  with a very large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #65 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Purdue is a great  university  overall.
There were about 30 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Purdue in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Purdue University - Main Campus
	
	
	
	
	
Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public  university  with a fairly large  student population. This  university  ranks 12th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 16 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of California - Irvine
	
	
	
	
	
Bucknell is a small  private not-for-profit university  located in the town of Lewisburg. This  university  ranks 11th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were about 25 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Bucknell in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Bucknell University
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Bachelor's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        3rd
        Most Popular In CA
    
 
    
        
        37
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit  university  with a very large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great  university  overall.
There were about 37 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Southern California
	
	
        
            
                Masters
                Degree Type
            
            
                Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction
                Program Name
            
         
        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.
        More information about a degree in Low-Residency MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
            
    
	
	
	
SMU is a large  private not-for-profit university  located in the suburb of Dallas. This  university  ranks 5th out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 11 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at SMU in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Southern Methodist University
	
	
 
	
	
	
Located in the city of Philadelphia, St. Joe's is a private not-for-profit  university  with a moderately-sized  student population. This  university  ranks 9th out of 103 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
There were roughly 10 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at St. Joe's in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Saint Joseph’s University
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        2nd
        Most Popular In TX
    
 
 
	
Texas State is a fairly large  public university  located in the small city of San Marcos. This  university  ranks 16th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 20 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Texas State in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from Texas State University
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Master's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        1st
        Most Popular In IA
    
 
    
        
        53
        Creative Writing Degrees Awarded
    
 
 
	
Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public  university  with a very large  student population. This  university  ranks 1st out of 37 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.
There were roughly 53 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Iowa
	
	
	
	
    
    
        
        Bachelor's Degree
        Highest Degree Type
    
 
    
        
        2nd
        Most Popular In DC
    
 
 
	
Located in the large city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit  university  with a very large  student population. A Best Colleges rank of #25 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means GWU is a great  university  overall.
There were roughly 11 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at GWU in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from George Washington University
	
	
	
	
	
University of Rochester is a fairly large  private not-for-profit university  located in the city of Rochester. This  university  ranks 8th out of 136 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were about 13 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at University of Rochester in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in creative writing from University of Rochester