Columbus, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering professional writing programs, with tuition ranging from $9,098 to $28,145 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 23,616. Median household income is $40,588 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning professional writing-related role is Technical Writer at a median $65,220 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Professional Writing Schools to Columbus
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer professional writing programs near Columbus, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbus 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Columbus.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$50,994
Avg net price
$13,314/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 124
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$40,421
Avg net price
$24,016/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 71%
- Programs offered: 22
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$31,919
Avg net price
$9,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 65%
- Programs offered: 25
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$39,060
Avg net price
$23,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 66%
- Programs offered: 58
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,485
Avg net price
$27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 79
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Mississippi schools on the Mississippi professional writing page.
Professional Writing Wages Near Columbus
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide) |
|---|
| Writer and Author | $54,180 |
| Technical Writer | $65,220 |
| Editor | $54,380 |
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.
Columbus at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 23,616 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $40,588 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 25.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Columbus-Area Cities With Professional Writing Programs
- Starkville, MS – 24.2 mi away (32,441 pop)
- Northport, AL – 50.1 mi away (25,045 pop)
- Tuscaloosa, AL – 54.5 mi away (114,288 pop)
- Tupelo, MS – 55.2 mi away (46,095 pop)
- Meridian, MS – 79.3 mi away (39,478 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited professional writing schools are near Columbus, MS?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering professional writing programs near Columbus. The closest is University of Mississippi in University, MS (87.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of North Alabama (99.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying professional writing roles in Mississippi?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying professional writing-related roles in Mississippi are: Technical Writer ($65,220), Editor ($54,380), Writer and Author ($54,180). Wages for Columbus workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Starkville instead of Columbus?
Starkville, MS is 24.2 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study professional writing?
Columbus’s median household income of $40,588 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Columbus
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:
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- Technical Communication programs in Columbus, MS
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- Paralegal programs in Columbus, MS
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- Cloud Computing programs in Columbus, MS
- Computer Engineering programs in Columbus, MS
- Innovation programs in Columbus, MS
- Mobile App Development programs in Columbus, MS
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- User Experience programs in Columbus, MS
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- Artificial Intelligence programs in Columbus, MS
- Machine Learning programs in Columbus, MS
- Supply Chain Management programs in Columbus, MS
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- Public Health programs in Columbus, MS
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- Project Management programs in Columbus, MS
- Special Education programs in Columbus, MS
- Homeland Security programs in Columbus, MS
- Marketing programs in Columbus, MS
- Finance programs in Columbus, MS
- Kinesiology programs in Columbus, MS
- Sports Management programs in Columbus, MS
- Early Childhood Education programs in Columbus, MS
- Elementary Education programs in Columbus, MS
- Biology programs in Columbus, MS
- Communications programs in Columbus, MS
- Graphic Design programs in Columbus, MS
- Human Services programs in Columbus, MS
- MBA programs in Columbus, MS
- Criminal Justice programs in Columbus, MS
- Nursing programs in Columbus, MS
- Business Administration programs in Columbus, MS
- Computer Science programs in Columbus, MS
- Psychology programs in Columbus, MS
- Education programs in Columbus, MS
- Engineering programs in Columbus, MS
- Technology programs in Columbus, MS
- Liberal Arts programs in Columbus, MS
- Healthcare programs in Columbus, MS
- Cybersecurity programs in Columbus, MS
- Accounting programs in Columbus, MS
- Healthcare Administration programs in Columbus, MS
- Social Work programs in Columbus, MS
- Counseling programs in Columbus, MS
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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