Best Creative Writing Schools Near Staunton, VA (2026)

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

Staunton, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs. Staunton has a population of about 25,765. Median household income is $62,586 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning creative writing-related role is Writer and Author at a median $85,000 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Creative Writing Schools to Staunton

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

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA 31.5 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,863
Avg net price $21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar, VA 41.6 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
42.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,943
Avg net price $17,758/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Randolph College

Lynchburg, VA 50.3 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,409
Avg net price $15,921/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 56.3 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 178

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Hollins University

Roanoke, VA 73.6 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,075
Avg net price $20,896/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Roanoke College

Salem, VA 80.8 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,047
Avg net price $24,503/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 97.3 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,128
Avg net price $23,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 98.4 miles from Staunton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $81,698
Avg net price $24,953/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Creative Writing Wages Near Staunton

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Virginia, statewide)
Writer and Author$85,000
Editor$80,590
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary$67,330

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.

Staunton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,765Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,586Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Staunton-Area Cities With Creative Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited creative writing schools are near Staunton, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering creative writing programs near Staunton. The closest is University of Virginia-Main Campus in Charlottesville, VA (31.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hollins University (73.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying creative writing-related roles in Virginia are: Writer and Author ($85,000), Editor ($80,590), English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary ($67,330). Wages for Staunton workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Waynesboro instead of Staunton?

Waynesboro, VA is 10.8 miles from Staunton 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 Staunton an affordable place to study creative writing?

Staunton’s median household income of $62,586 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Staunton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Staunton

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

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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