Best Creative Writing Schools Near Dalton, GA (2026)

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

Dalton, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs. Dalton has a population of about 34,402. Median household income is $61,236 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Georgia, the top-earning creative writing-related role is Editor at a median $76,650 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Dalton

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

Berry College

Mount Berry, GA 35.3 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,800
Avg net price $22,320/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Reinhardt University

Waleska, GA 39.1 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,541
Avg net price $24,425/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA 55.1 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,552
Avg net price $15,048/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 116

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Young Harris College

Young Harris, GA 64.8 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,195
Avg net price $22,034/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,305
Out‑of‑state$32,305
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 29

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

#5

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 77.0 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,137
Avg net price $22,585/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 77.7 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA 79.1 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,274
Avg net price $24,754/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Piedmont University

Demorest, GA 82.4 miles from Dalton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,130
Avg net price $20,599/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Dalton

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Georgia, statewide)
Writer and Author$74,710
Editor$76,650
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$65,530

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.

Dalton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population34,402Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,236Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Dalton-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Dalton, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Dalton. The closest is Lee University in Cleveland, TN (28.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kennesaw State University (55.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Georgia are: Editor ($76,650), Writer and Author ($74,710), English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($65,530). Wages for Dalton workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Calhoun instead of Dalton?

Calhoun, GA is 19.2 miles from Dalton 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 Dalton an affordable place to study creative writing?

Dalton’s median household income of $61,236 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Dalton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Dalton

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

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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