Best Creative Writing Schools Near Detroit, MI (2026)

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

Detroit, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs. Detroit has a population of about 636,644. Median household income is $39,575 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $104,070 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Detroit

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

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI 20.9 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,612
Avg net price $9,120/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 28.3 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 156

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 33.1 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,648
Avg net price $13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 206

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI 57.4 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,529
Avg net price $17,124/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Albion College

Albion, MI 84.5 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,799
Avg net price $14,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, MI 89.3 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,955
Avg net price $10,775/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Alma College

Alma, MI 105.2 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
51.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,742
Avg net price $20,694/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 118.8 miles from Detroit
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Detroit

Detroit is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (BLS area code 19820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Writer and Author$75,760Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$75,533
Editor$65,740Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$65,543
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$104,070Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$103,759

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.

Detroit at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population636,644Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$39,575Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Detroit-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Detroit, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Detroit. The closest is Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI (20.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus (74.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles near Detroit are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($104,070), Writer and Author ($75,760), Editor ($65,740). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hamtramck instead of Detroit?

Hamtramck, MI is 2.5 miles from Detroit 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 Detroit an affordable place to study creative writing?

Detroit’s median household income of $39,575 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Detroit while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Detroit

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

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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