Best Professional Writing Schools Near Owatonna, MN (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Owatonna, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering professional writing programs, with tuition ranging from $6,146 to $17,103 per year for indexed programs. Owatonna has a population of about 26,462. Median household income is $81,276 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning professional writing-related role is Technical Writer at a median $83,270 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Professional Writing Schools to Owatonna

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

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 38.3 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Inver Hills Community College

Inver Grove Heights, MN 51.7 miles from Owatonna
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,898
Avg net price $11,636/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,146
Out‑of‑state$6,146
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 58.9 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,739
Avg net price $29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 60.3 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 60.9 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall, MN 127.6 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,342
Avg net price $15,291/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Minnesota-Morris

Morris, MN 166.8 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
50.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,919
Avg net price $8,837/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Professional Writing Wages Near Owatonna

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Writer and Author$72,810
Technical Writer$83,270
Editor$62,650

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.

Owatonna at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,462Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$81,276Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Owatonna-Area Cities With Professional Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited professional writing schools are near Owatonna, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering professional writing programs near Owatonna. The closest is Minnesota State University-Mankato in Mankato, MN (38.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (60.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying professional writing roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying professional writing-related roles in Minnesota are: Technical Writer ($83,270), Writer and Author ($72,810), Editor ($62,650). Wages for Owatonna workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Owatonna?

Faribault, MN is 14.5 miles from Owatonna and has its own set of local professional writing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Owatonna an affordable place to study professional writing?

Owatonna’s median household income of $81,276 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Owatonna while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Professional Writing Programs

Other Programs Available in Owatonna

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

Data verified: August 31, 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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