Best Creative Writing Schools Near Waterloo, IA (2026)

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

Waterloo, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $25,978 to $39,675 per year for indexed programs. Waterloo has a population of about 66,947. Median household income is $56,344 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $79,720 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Waterloo

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

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 49.7 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
52.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,125
Avg net price $18,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, IA 61.6 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,460
Avg net price $23,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 71.0 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 199

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 73.7 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 169

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Waldorf University

Forest City, IA 84.3 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
36.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,165
Avg net price $19,693/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,978
Out‑of‑state$25,978
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 48%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Loras College

Dubuque, IA 85.2 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,289
Avg net price $20,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Maharishi International University

Fairfield, IA 103.8 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $27,981
Avg net price $14,956/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Waterloo

Waterloo is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area (BLS area code 47940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Writer and Author$61,010IA statewide$70,046
Editor$47,300Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$54,305
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$79,720IA statewide$91,527

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.

Waterloo at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population66,947Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,344Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)87.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Waterloo, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Waterloo. The closest is Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA (49.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Waldorf University (84.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying creative writing roles near Waterloo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles near Waterloo are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($79,720), Writer and Author ($61,010), Editor ($47,300). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cedar Falls instead of Waterloo?

Cedar Falls, IA is 5.5 miles from Waterloo 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 Waterloo an affordable place to study creative writing?

Waterloo’s median household income of $56,344 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterloo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Waterloo

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

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 Iowa: Online Programs (2026)