Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Central Florida

UCF's writing studies program sits in an unusual position: it trails the national median by about $2,100 annually, yet outperforms most Florida competitors. Among the state's 11 writing programs, this ranks at the 60th percentile—meaning graduates here earn more than many in-state alternatives, even if they're not reaching the heights of USF's top-tier $35,600 outcomes.

The debt load of $22,676 is actually reasonable for a humanities degree, matching the state median and coming in below the national average. With a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86, graduates are looking at manageable repayment—though the $26,282 starting salary means budgeting will be tight in those early years. This is typical for writing-focused careers, where many graduates move into editing, communications, or continue to graduate school where earning potential increases.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so one or two outliers could skew the picture significantly. These small numbers mean less certainty about what your child's actual experience would be. If your student is passionate about writing and plans to stay in Florida, this represents a mid-tier option with manageable debt. But if they're comparing against other majors or out-of-state writing programs, they should know they're not getting premium outcomes—just solid, middle-of-the-pack results for the state.