Best Professional Writing Schools Near Watertown, WI (2026)

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

Watertown, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering professional writing programs, with tuition ranging from $4,788 to $66,768 per year for indexed programs. Watertown has a population of about 22,873. Median household income is $68,333 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning professional writing-related role is Technical Writer at a median $80,030 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Professional Writing Schools to Watertown

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

Whitewater, WI 24.5 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,356
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI 41.7 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 81%
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,257
Avg net price $31,487/yr
Tuition
In‑state$51,170
Out‑of‑state$51,170
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Lakeland University

Plymouth, WI 61.8 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
43.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,961
Avg net price $24,212/yr
Tuition
In‑state$33,396
Out‑of‑state$33,396
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fox Valley Technical College

Appleton, WI 76.8 miles from Watertown
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
67.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,684
Avg net price $11,407/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,040
Out‑of‑state$7,283
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Wisconsin-Stout

Menomonie, WI 196.9 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,084
Avg net price $17,490/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Wisconsin-Superior

Superior, WI 294.0 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,606
Avg net price $12,220/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Professional Writing Wages Near Watertown

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Wisconsin, statewide)
Writer and Author$64,370
Technical Writer$80,030
Editor$64,270

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.

Watertown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population22,873Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$68,333Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Watertown-Area Cities With Professional Writing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited professional writing schools are near Watertown, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering professional writing programs near Watertown. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Whitewater, WI (24.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fox Valley Technical College (76.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying professional writing-related roles in Wisconsin are: Technical Writer ($80,030), Writer and Author ($64,370), Editor ($64,270). Wages for Watertown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Fort Atkinson instead of Watertown?

Fort Atkinson, WI is 19.2 miles from Watertown 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 Watertown an affordable place to study professional writing?

Watertown’s median household income of $68,333 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watertown while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Watertown

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

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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