Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Hamline University

Hamline's writing studies program starts at an alarming $20,059 in first-year earnings—ranking in just the 10th percentile among Minnesota programs and 5th percentile nationally. To put that in perspective, the Minnesota median for this major is nearly $34,000, meaning Hamline graduates earn 41% less than their in-state peers. The state's top programs (Metropolitan State and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities) deliver nearly double Hamline's first-year outcomes.

The 56% earnings growth to $31,210 by year four represents significant recovery, but you're still looking at income that barely exceeds $30,000 four years into a career. With $25,000 in student debt—right at the national median—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.25 means graduates owe more than they'll earn in their entire first year. For a program at a school with a 90% admission rate and charging private-school tuition, these outcomes are difficult to justify.

If your child is committed to writing studies in Minnesota, the data strongly suggests looking at Metropolitan State ($39,558 starting) or the University of Minnesota system first. Hamline's eventual earnings growth doesn't offset the financial strain of those early years, particularly when in-state alternatives start at nearly twice the salary from day one.