Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Pratt Institute-Main

The small sample size here demands caution, but these numbers tell a worrying story: Pratt's writing program graduates earn just $18,842 in their first year—less than minimum wage for full-time work in New York City. Even within a field known for modest early earnings, this ranks in the bottom 5% nationally and trails the state median by $7,000. While earnings nearly double by year four to $33,509, that's still barely above the national median for a program with significantly lower living costs than Brooklyn.

The $26,000 debt load isn't unusually high, but it becomes problematic when paired with poverty-level starting wages. That first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.38 means graduates face repayment challenges at precisely the moment they can least afford them. For context, other New York writing programs—including public options like SUNY Oswego—deliver 50% higher starting salaries with similar debt burdens.

Pratt's reputation centers on art and design, not writing, and these outcomes suggest the school's network and career services may not serve writing majors effectively. If your child is passionate about writing and set on New York, several CUNY campuses offer similar programs at a fraction of the cost. If Pratt is the dream, the design or architecture programs show much stronger returns. This particular combination—writing at Pratt—looks difficult to justify financially given the alternatives available in-state.