Best Creative Writing Schools Near Manhattan, KS (2026)

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

Manhattan, Kansas has 1 accredited school offering creative writing programs. Manhattan has a population of about 53,951. Median household income is $58,441 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning creative writing-related role is Writer and Author at a median $65,840 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Manhattan

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

Lawrence, KS 74.5 miles from Manhattan
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,945
Avg net price $18,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 108.1 miles from Manhattan
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,532
Avg net price $13,194/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 149

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Sterling College

Sterling, KS 109.3 miles from Manhattan
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
31.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,846
Avg net price $22,371/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Manhattan

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Writer and Author$65,840
Editor$61,920
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$62,340

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.

Manhattan at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population53,951Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$58,441Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+52.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Manhattan-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Manhattan, KS?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Manhattan. The closest is University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS (74.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Kansas (74.5 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Kansas are: Writer and Author ($65,840), English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($62,340), Editor ($61,920). Wages for Manhattan workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Junction City instead of Manhattan?

Junction City, KS is 17.2 miles from Manhattan 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 Manhattan an affordable place to study creative writing?

Manhattan’s median household income of $58,441 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Manhattan while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Manhattan

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

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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