Best Creative Writing Schools Near Rochester, MN (2026)

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

Rochester, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $68,104 to $82,991 per year for indexed programs. Rochester has a population of about 121,638. Median household income is $87,767 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $84,200 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Rochester

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

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN 46.6 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
67.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,543
Avg net price $23,874/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 71.4 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Macalester College

Saint Paul, MN 72.3 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
63.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,878
Avg net price $32,149/yr
Tuition
In‑state$68,104
Out‑of‑state$68,104
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Concordia University-Saint Paul

Saint Paul, MN 72.7 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 79%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,871
Avg net price $18,462/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,600
Out‑of‑state$25,600
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 73.1 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,739
Avg net price $29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Hamline University

Saint Paul, MN 73.9 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,106
Avg net price $20,744/yr
Tuition
In‑state$50,004
Out‑of‑state$50,004
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Augsburg University

Minneapolis, MN 75.7 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,829
Avg net price $23,873/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 76.0 miles from Rochester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Rochester

Rochester is part of the Rochester, MN metro area (BLS area code 40340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Writer and Author$72,810MN statewide$80,187
Editor$62,650MN statewide$68,998
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$84,200MN statewide$92,731

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.

Rochester at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population121,638Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$87,767Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+50.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Rochester-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Rochester, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Rochester. The closest is Minnesota State College Southeast in Winona, MN (42.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Macalester College (72.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Minnesota are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($84,200), Writer and Author ($72,810), Editor ($62,650). Wages for Rochester workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Austin instead of Rochester?

Austin, MN is 34.3 miles from Rochester 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 Rochester an affordable place to study creative writing?

Rochester’s median household income of $87,767 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rochester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Rochester

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

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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