Best Creative Writing Schools Near Gaffney, SC (2026)

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

Gaffney, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $31,900 to $44,621 per year for indexed programs. Gaffney has a population of about 12,612. Median household income is $41,214 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Carolina, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $64,470 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Gaffney

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

Converse University

Spartanburg, SC 16.9 miles from Gaffney
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,867
Avg net price $23,283/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 82.6 miles from Gaffney
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,177
Avg net price $22,811/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC 170.6 miles from Gaffney
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,898
Avg net price $21,666/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, SC 174.7 miles from Gaffney
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,258
Avg net price $13,966/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

College of Charleston

Charleston, SC 186.3 miles from Gaffney
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,416
Avg net price $18,960/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Gaffney

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (South Carolina, statewide)
Writer and Author$51,920
Editor$62,000
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$64,470

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.

Gaffney at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population12,612Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$41,214Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Gaffney-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Gaffney, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Gaffney. The closest is Converse University in Spartanburg, SC (16.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of South Carolina-Columbia (82.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying creative writing roles in South Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in South Carolina are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($64,470), Editor ($62,000), Writer and Author ($51,920). Wages for Gaffney workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Gaffney?

Shelby, NC is 16.2 miles from Gaffney 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 Gaffney an affordable place to study creative writing?

Gaffney’s median household income of $41,214 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gaffney while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Carolina 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 Gaffney

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

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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