2026 Best Creative Writing Schools in District of Columbia

Creative Writing degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools to find the best for creative writing students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Creative Writing Schools in District of Columbia

Best Schools for Creative Writing in District of Columbia

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the creative writing degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Creative Writing

1

George Washington University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

11 Creative Writing Degrees Awarded

$73,749 Median Starting Salary

George Washington University tops our 2026 ranking of the best creative writing schools. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. George Washington University graduates 84% of students within six years. There were roughly 11 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at George Washington University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the creative writing program make about $73,749 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,910. More information about a degree in creative writing from George Washington University

2

American University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

11 Creative Writing Degrees Awarded

$54,585 Median Starting Salary

American University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best creative writing schools. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 76% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 11 creative writing students who graduated with this degree at American University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the creative writing program make about $54,585 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,139. More information about a degree in creative writing from American University

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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.