Saint Cloud, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $50,004 to $58,110 per year for indexed programs. Saint Cloud has a population of about 69,926. Median household income is $61,112 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the St. Cloud, MN metro area, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $84,240 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Creative Writing Schools to Saint Cloud
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer creative writing programs near Saint Cloud, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Saint Cloud 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Saint Cloud.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$69,020
Avg net price
$16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 250
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$58,829
Avg net price
$23,873/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 71%
- Programs offered: 63
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
88%
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,106
Avg net price
$20,744/yr
TuitionIn‑state$50,004
Out‑of‑state$50,004
Key stats- Retention rate: 76%
- Programs offered: 65
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$73,739
Avg net price
$29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 109
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
79%
Graduation rate
52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,871
Avg net price
$18,462/yr
TuitionIn‑state$25,600
Out‑of‑state$25,600
Key stats- Retention rate: 67%
- Programs offered: 65
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
29%
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,878
Avg net price
$32,149/yr
TuitionIn‑state$68,104
Out‑of‑state$68,104
Key stats- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 40
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,705
Avg net price
$16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 70%
- Programs offered: 62
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$65,543
Avg net price
$23,874/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota creative writing page.
Creative Writing Wages Near Saint Cloud
Saint Cloud is part of the St. Cloud, MN metro area (BLS area code 41060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Writer and Author | $72,810 | MN statewide | $83,116 |
| Editor | $47,400 | St. Cloud, MN | $54,110 |
| English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary | $84,240 | St. Cloud, MN | $96,164 |
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.
Saint Cloud at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 69,926 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $61,112 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 29.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 87.6 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Saint Cloud-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs
- Monticello, MN – 24.4 mi away (26,875 pop)
- Elk River, MN – 32.5 mi away (24,364 pop)
- Ramsey, MN – 39.8 mi away (26,206 pop)
- Andover, MN – 45.3 mi away (32,461 pop)
- Maple Grove, MN – 45.3 mi away (69,576 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited creative writing schools are near Saint Cloud, MN?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Saint Cloud. The closest is Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, MN (47.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hamline University (62.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying creative writing roles near Saint Cloud?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles near Saint Cloud are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($84,240), Writer and Author ($72,810), Editor ($47,400). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Monticello instead of Saint Cloud?
Monticello, MN is 24.4 miles from Saint Cloud 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 Saint Cloud an affordable place to study creative writing?
Saint Cloud’s median household income of $61,112 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saint Cloud 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
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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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