Best Creative Writing Schools Near Modesto, CA (2026)

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

Modesto, California has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs. Modesto has a population of about 218,614. Median household income is $77,899 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $130,490 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Modesto

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer creative writing programs near Modesto, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Modesto 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 Modesto. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 52.4 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA 62.0 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,812
Avg net price $30,378/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 74.4 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, CA 76.9 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
46.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,414
Avg net price $53,909/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 79.7 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,812
Avg net price $41,431/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 80.8 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, CA 85.7 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,713
Avg net price $35,333/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 89.7 miles from Modesto
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,244
Avg net price $7,000/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 96

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Modesto

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Writer and Author$86,480
Editor$98,030
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$130,490

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.

Modesto at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population218,614Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,899Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)104.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Modesto-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Modesto, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Modesto. The closest is Las Positas College in Livermore, CA (43.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Saint Mary’s College of California (62.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in California are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($130,490), Editor ($98,030), Writer and Author ($86,480). Wages for Modesto workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Ceres instead of Modesto?

Ceres, CA is 3.6 miles from Modesto 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 Modesto an affordable place to study creative writing?

Modesto’s median household income of $77,899 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Modesto while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Modesto

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

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.

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