Best Creative Writing Schools Near Rolla, MO (2026)

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

Rolla, Missouri has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $3,048 to $13,629 per year for indexed programs. Rolla has a population of about 20,144. Median household income is $42,518 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Missouri, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $73,070 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Rolla

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

Lincoln University

Jefferson City, MO 48.1 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
28.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,463
Avg net price $19,092/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Stephens College

Columbia, MO 75.8 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,071
Avg net price $23,459/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Webster University

Saint Louis, MO 88.7 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,876
Avg net price $27,047/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO 89.6 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,278
Avg net price $19,638/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Washington University in St Louis

St. Louis, MO 92.4 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
85.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,182
Avg net price $21,786/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 167

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Missouri-St Louis

Saint Louis, MO 94.7 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,037
Avg net price $15,071/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO 97.9 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,827
Avg net price $17,613/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 200

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO 159.2 miles from Rolla
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,620
Avg net price $12,007/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Rolla

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Missouri, statewide)
Writer and Author$58,140
Editor$61,620
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$73,070

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.

Rolla at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population20,144Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$42,518Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Rolla-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Rolla, MO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Rolla. The closest is Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO (48.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lindenwood University (89.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Missouri are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($73,070), Editor ($61,620), Writer and Author ($58,140). Wages for Rolla workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Jefferson City instead of Rolla?

Jefferson City, MO is 48.5 miles from Rolla 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 Rolla an affordable place to study creative writing?

Rolla’s median household income of $42,518 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rolla while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri 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 Rolla

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

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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