Best Creative Writing Schools Near State College, PA (2026)

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

State College, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $67,812 to $83,756 per year for indexed programs. State College has a population of about 40,669. Median household income is $47,132 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $80,670 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to State College

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

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, PA 51.3 miles from State College
  • 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

#2

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA 52.1 miles from State College
  • 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

#3

University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

Johnstown, PA 62.9 miles from State College
  • 4 year
48.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $18,202/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, PA 77.3 miles from State College
  • 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

#5

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, PA 88.2 miles from State College
  • 4 year
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,982
Avg net price $23,510/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

Bradford, PA 90.2 miles from State College
  • 4 year
42.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $15,350/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg

Greensburg, PA 94.9 miles from State College
  • 4 year
40.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $17,945/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, PA 95.3 miles from State College
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,748
Avg net price $22,204/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near State College

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Pennsylvania, statewide)
Writer and Author$77,410
Editor$63,460
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$80,670

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.

State College at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,669Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,132Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other State College-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near State College, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near State College. The closest is Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA (51.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Saint Vincent College (88.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Pennsylvania are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($80,670), Writer and Author ($77,410), Editor ($63,460). Wages for State College workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lewistown instead of State College?

Lewistown, PA is 20.0 miles from State College 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 State College an affordable place to study creative writing?

State College’s median household income of $47,132 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in State College 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 State College

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

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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