Best Creative Writing Schools Near Ontario, OR (2026)

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

Ontario, Oregon has 1 accredited school offering creative writing programs. Ontario has a population of about 11,728. Median household income is $43,887 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Oregon, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $91,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Ontario

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

Eastern Oregon University

La Grande, OR 104.9 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,112
Avg net price $17,148/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Portland State University

Portland, OR 298.2 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,906
Avg net price $9,552/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 147

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR 302.9 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,324
Avg net price $22,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 115

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

George Fox University

Newberg, OR 307.3 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,761
Avg net price $31,679/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR 313.6 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,010
Avg net price $19,604/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 162

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Southern Oregon University

Ashland, OR 315.2 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,175
Avg net price $16,732/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Linfield University

McMinnville, OR 316.6 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,638
Avg net price $26,536/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pacific University

Forest Grove, OR 318.0 miles from Ontario
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,583
Avg net price $35,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Ontario

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Oregon, statewide)
Writer and Author$80,540
Editor$71,540
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$91,870

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.

Ontario at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population11,728Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,887Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ontario-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Ontario, OR?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Ontario. The closest is Boise State University in Boise, ID (48.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Boise State University (48.3 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Oregon are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($91,870), Writer and Author ($80,540), Editor ($71,540). Wages for Ontario workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Caldwell instead of Ontario?

Caldwell, ID is 30.6 miles from Ontario 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 Ontario an affordable place to study creative writing?

Ontario’s median household income of $43,887 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ontario while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Oregon 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 Ontario

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

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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