Best Creative Writing Schools Near Van Buren, AR (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Van Buren, Arkansas has 4 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $7,810 to $50,004 per year for indexed programs. Van Buren has a population of about 23,545. Median household income is $59,420 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arkansas, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $56,520 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Van Buren

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer creative writing programs near Van Buren, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Van Buren city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Van Buren. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR 44.1 miles from Van Buren
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,191
Avg net price $18,209/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,104
Out‑of‑state$29,966
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Arkansas Tech University

Russellville, AR 69.3 miles from Van Buren
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,766
Avg net price $12,970/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,674
Out‑of‑state$14,668
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR 109.9 miles from Van Buren
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,938
Avg net price $16,511/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Arkansas at Monticello

Monticello, AR 193.4 miles from Van Buren
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,902
Avg net price $14,287/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,292
Out‑of‑state$14,857
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas creative writing page.

Creative Writing Wages Near Van Buren

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Arkansas, statewide)
Writer and Author$47,970
Editor$50,180
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$56,520

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Van Buren at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,545Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,420Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)85.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Van Buren-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Van Buren, AR?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Van Buren. The closest is University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR (44.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Oral Roberts University (98.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying creative writing roles in Arkansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Arkansas are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($56,520), Editor ($50,180), Writer and Author ($47,970). Wages for Van Buren workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Fort Smith instead of Van Buren?

Fort Smith, AR is 6.9 miles from Van Buren and has its own set of local creative writing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Van Buren an affordable place to study creative writing?

Van Buren’s median household income of $59,420 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Van Buren while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Creative Writing Programs

Other Programs Available in Van Buren

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Van Buren:

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Creative Writing Schools in Arkansas (2026)