Best Creative Writing Schools Near Stephenville, TX (2026)

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

Stephenville, Texas has 2 accredited schools offering creative writing programs, with tuition ranging from $67,040 to $85,606 per year for indexed programs. Stephenville has a population of about 21,345. Median household income is $55,504 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning creative writing-related role is English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $78,900 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Stephenville

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

McMurry University

Abilene, TX 90.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,779
Avg net price $19,581/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX 94.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,354
Avg net price $40,892/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,040
Out‑of‑state$67,040
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Austin Community College District

Austin, TX 133.9 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,177
Avg net price $6,390/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,550
Out‑of‑state$10,590
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 136.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,121
Avg net price $19,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Austin College

Sherman, TX 136.6 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
58.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 48%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,296
Avg net price $21,107/yr
Tuition
In‑state$48,680
Out‑of‑state$48,680
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX 161.5 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,906
Avg net price $16,805/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX 183.3 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,131
Avg net price $10,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX 188.6 miles from Stephenville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,211
Avg net price $16,404/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,228
Out‑of‑state$19,068
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 104

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Stephenville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Texas, statewide)
Writer and Author$69,990
Editor$45,950
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$78,900

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.

Stephenville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,345Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,504Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Stephenville-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Stephenville, TX?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Stephenville. The closest is McMurry University in Abilene, TX (90.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southern Methodist University (94.3 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Texas are: English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($78,900), Writer and Author ($69,990), Editor ($45,950). Wages for Stephenville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Granbury instead of Stephenville?

Granbury, TX is 30.9 miles from Stephenville 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 Stephenville an affordable place to study creative writing?

Stephenville’s median household income of $55,504 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Stephenville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Stephenville

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

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.

Back to Best Creative Writing Schools in Texas: Online Programs (2026)