Best Creative Writing Schools Near Scranton, PA (2026)

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

Scranton, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $10,567 to $57,206 per year for indexed programs. Scranton has a population of about 76,074. Median household income is $49,531 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $97,520 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Scranton

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

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, PA 16.1 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
55.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,454
Avg net price $27,743/yr
Tuition
In‑state$43,496
Out‑of‑state$43,496
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Muhlenberg College

Allentown, PA 56.4 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
63.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,107
Avg net price $28,905/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA 57.0 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,460
Avg net price $18,659/yr
Tuition
In‑state$46,314
Out‑of‑state$46,314
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

DeSales University

Center Valley, PA 61.7 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,295
Avg net price $31,643/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA 70.5 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
67.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $93,807
Avg net price $40,766/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,812
Out‑of‑state$67,812
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, PA 75.7 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,723
Avg net price $28,819/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, PA 86.5 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,621
Avg net price $26,979/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Arcadia University

Glenside, PA 94.3 miles from Scranton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,336
Avg net price $29,466/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Scranton

Scranton is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Writer and Author$77,410PA statewide$82,703
Editor$60,110Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA$64,220
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$97,520Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA$104,188

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.

Scranton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population76,074Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,531Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Scranton-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Scranton, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Scranton. The closest is Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA (16.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Cedar Crest College (57.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles near Scranton are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($97,520), Writer and Author ($77,410), Editor ($60,110). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Wilkes-Barre instead of Scranton?

Wilkes-Barre, PA is 15.4 miles from Scranton 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 Scranton an affordable place to study creative writing?

Scranton’s median household income of $49,531 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Scranton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Scranton

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

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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