Best Creative Writing Schools Near Ocala, FL (2026)

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

Ocala, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $6,368 to $72,533 per year for indexed programs. Ocala has a population of about 64,903. Median household income is $53,520 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning creative writing-related role is Editor at a median $73,950 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Ocala

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

Gainesville, FL 34.4 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,588
Avg net price $6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 172

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Stetson University

DeLand, FL 52.2 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,642
Avg net price $19,372/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,410
Out‑of‑state$57,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Saint Leo University

Saint Leo, FL 58.7 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,364
Avg net price $21,293/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 69.9 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL 79.0 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 43%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,743
Avg net price $9,812/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,410
Out‑of‑state$17,324
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 151

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Florida Southern College

Lakeland, FL 80.2 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,294
Avg net price $28,551/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 80.7 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
32.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,744
Avg net price $31,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,950
Out‑of‑state$32,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Eckerd College

Saint Petersburg, FL 106.3 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
38.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,819
Avg net price $38,071/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Ocala

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Florida, statewide)
Writer and Author$68,080
Editor$73,950
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$59,740

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.

Ocala at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population64,903Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$53,520Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Ocala-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Ocala, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Ocala. The closest is University of Florida in Gainesville, FL (34.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of South Florida (79.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Florida are: Editor ($73,950), Writer and Author ($68,080), English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($59,740). Wages for Ocala workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Leesburg instead of Ocala?

Leesburg, FL is 32.3 miles from Ocala 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 Ocala an affordable place to study creative writing?

Ocala’s median household income of $53,520 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ocala while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Ocala

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

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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