Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Utah

First-year earnings of $47,950 put this program well above what writing studies graduates typically earn—the national median is just $28,418, making the University of Utah's outcome look strong. While the $24,000 debt figure is estimated from similar bachelor's programs nationally (the graduate cohort was too small for the school to report actual debt), that level of borrowing against nearly $48,000 in starting earnings creates a manageable 0.50 debt-to-income ratio. For context, comparable programs nationally carry around $25,000 in median debt for much lower returns.

The earnings story gets more nuanced when you look within Utah. At $47,950, these graduates still earn more than the $42,078 state median for writing programs, but not by the dramatic margin seen nationally. Weber State's reported outcome of $36,205 for the same degree suggests there's real variation in how Utah schools prepare writing majors for the job market, though the U of Utah appears to have an edge. The question is whether that edge—which could reflect Salt Lake City's job market more than the program itself—is worth whatever premium in total cost of attendance the flagship charges.

This program likely works financially if your student can keep debt near the estimated $24,000 and land a job quickly. The strong first-year earnings suggest graduates are finding work, but remember these are estimated debt figures, not actual reported outcomes for this school's writing majors. Get the real borrowing picture from the financial aid office before committing.