Best Creative Writing Schools Near San Bernardino, CA (2026)

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

San Bernardino, California has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $15,606 to $76,630 per year for indexed programs. San Bernardino has a population of about 221,774. Median household income is $63,988 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $160,050 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to San Bernardino

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer creative writing programs near San Bernardino, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino. 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

University of Redlands

Redlands, CA 9.2 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 83%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,690
Avg net price $30,031/yr
Tuition
In‑state$60,878
Out‑of‑state$60,878
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 67

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

#2

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 11.8 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 87

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

#3

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 16.5 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

La Sierra University

Riverside, CA 19.8 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,824
Avg net price $45,566/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA 27.6 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,464
Avg net price $20,161/yr
Tuition
In‑state$49,470
Out‑of‑state$49,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 58

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

#6

Chapman University

Orange, CA 40.1 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
61.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,070
Avg net price $46,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 43.2 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,950
Avg net price $14,379/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA 46.3 miles from San Bernardino
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,735
Avg net price $14,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 134

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 San Bernardino

San Bernardino is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Writer and Author$78,990Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$74,239
Editor$70,560Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$66,316
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$160,050Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$150,423

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.

San Bernardino at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population221,774Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,988Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+12.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)106.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other San Bernardino-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near San Bernardino, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near San Bernardino. The closest is University of Redlands in Redlands, CA (9.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of La Verne (27.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying creative writing roles near San Bernardino?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles near San Bernardino are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($160,050), Writer and Author ($78,990), Editor ($70,560). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rialto instead of San Bernardino?

Rialto, CA is 5.8 miles from San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino an affordable place to study creative writing?

San Bernardino’s median household income of $63,988 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino

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

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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