Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Loyola University Maryland

Loyola Maryland's writing studies graduates earn $34,013 in their first year—solidly above the national median of $28,418 but notably below Maryland's state median of $38,768. This middle-of-the-road position matters for families considering in-state options: Johns Hopkins graduates from the same program earn about $10,000 more annually, though only three Maryland schools offer this degree, limiting direct comparisons.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $27,000, borrowing sits just above the national median but represents a manageable 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio—graduates would need about 79% of their first year's salary to cover their student loans. That's reasonable for a writing-focused degree, especially compared to many humanities programs where debt can eclipse first-year earnings entirely. The low debt percentile (5th nationally) indicates Loyola keeps borrowing well below what students at similar programs typically take on.

The catch: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so one or two outliers could skew the picture significantly. If your child is genuinely passionate about writing and rhetoric, Loyola provides a path that won't saddle them with crushing debt. But families focused purely on financial returns might question why they're not seeing the premium that typically comes with Maryland's higher cost of living and Loyola's private school price tag. This works best for students who value the Jesuit education model and plan to leverage Baltimore's nonprofit and media sectors after graduation.