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Major · English & Letters

The craft and theory of writing, persuasion, and literacy

Rhetoric and Composition (CIP 23.1304) trains you in the humanistic and scientific study of writing — composition theory, literacy practices, multimodal text analysis, and writing program administration. About 1,071 students complete it across 102 institutions, with five-year median earnings of $49,216 and a modest associate-to-bachelor’s gap that signals a primarily public-university audience.

Schools offering
102
Annual completions
1,071
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$49k

About this major

Rhetoric and Composition (CIP 23.1304) studies how writing works — historically, theoretically, and in practice. The CIP definition covers the humanistic and scientific study of rhetoric, composition, literacy, and language theories alongside their pedagogical applications. Coursework typically pairs composition-theory seminars with practicum work in writing centers, pedagogy in first-year writing instruction, and document or multimedia design. Many programs also include writing-program administration as a track, preparing students to staff, assess, and direct college writing programs.

The major fits students drawn to writing as a craft and as a discipline — those who want to understand how arguments and texts persuade, how literacy is taught and assessed, and how visual and mixed-media texts function rhetorically. Strong analytic reading, comfort with both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and patience for theory all help. The major rewards iterative drafting and revision, comfort working with developing writers, and an interest in pedagogy or program design.

One grounded observation about scale: 1,071 students complete this CIP across 102 institutions, with bachelor’s grads earning $49,322 and associate’s grads $44,392 — a narrow gap that reflects the CIP’s public-university producer base. Old Dominion University (117 completions), Minnesota–Twin Cities (112), Pittsburgh (104), and Clemson (77) anchor the top of the producer list, signaling that this is a regional and R1 state-university CIP rather than a private-college track. The named SOC outcomes for postsecondary teaching require doctoral degrees, and writer and editor wages of $72,270 and $75,260 sit well above the all-completers five-year median of $49,216 — a signal that early-career contract work weighs the average down before staff or graduate-track outcomes pull it up.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78k +1.8% Doctoral or professional degree
Writers and authors $72k +3.6% Bachelor's degree
Editors $75k +0.6% Bachelor's degree
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary $78k 0.0% Doctoral or professional degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$49k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$44k

Bachelor's

$49k

Who this major is for

Good signs this major fits: you want to write seriously and study how writing works, not just produce more of it; you’re drawn to pedagogy and the practice of teaching writing, including writing-center work or first-year composition instruction; you’re comfortable with theory — classical and contemporary rhetoric, literacy studies, composition research methods — as scaffolding for practical craft; you want a humanities major with a clear applied tilt toward writing programs, editing, or writing-adjacent professional work; and you’re considering graduate study in rhet/comp or English as a longer-term plan.

Reasons to pause: the named SOC outcomes are competitive and growth is flat — writers and authors at 3.6%, editors at 0.6%, English postsecondary teachers at 0%. The five-year median of $49,216 reflects early-career contract, content, and adjunct work for many completers, not steady staff editor or tenure-track wages. Both postsecondary teaching destinations require a doctoral degree, so college teaching is a graduate-school commitment, not a bachelor’s outcome. If you want oral-rhetoric, communication-strategy, or PR career paths, Speech Communication and Rhetoric (CIP 09.0101, 29,295 completions) is the larger and broader sibling. If you want literary fiction or poetry as the core, Creative Writing (CIP 23.1302, 3,403 completions) is the closer match.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Rhetoric and Composition

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 0 117 117
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN 0 112 112
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA 0 104 104
Clemson University Clemson, SC 0 77 77
West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA 0 76 76
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH 0 65 65
Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO 0 47 47
University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque, NM 0 46 46
Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH 0 39 39
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH 0 31 31
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Speech Communication and Rhetoric

29,295 completions/yr

Communication, General

9,537 completions/yr

Journalism

8,274 completions/yr

Mass Communication/Media Studies

6,797 completions/yr

Creative Writing

3,403 completions/yr

Music Theory and Composition

847 completions/yr

Broadcast Journalism

672 completions/yr

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other

660 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Rhetoric and Composition majors actually study day-to-day?
Coursework covers historical and contemporary rhetoric and composition theories, the analysis and production of written, visual, and mixed-media texts, and literacy practices in cultural and cross-cultural contexts. Programs typically include writing-center practicum work, composition pedagogy, document design, and research methods drawn from both the humanities and applied linguistics. The CIP also covers writing program administration — staffing, curriculum design, and assessment for first-year writing programs.
How is this different from English Literature or Speech Communication and Rhetoric?
The named cross-reference, Speech Communication and Rhetoric (CIP 09.0101), is the much larger sibling at 29,295 completions and tilts toward oral rhetoric, public address, and communication studies. English literature programs (literature-track CIPs) emphasize literary analysis and canon study. Rhetoric and Composition is the writing-and-pedagogy track: how writing works, how to teach it, and how to administer writing programs at the college level.
What jobs do Rhetoric and Composition graduates end up in?
The named SOC list points to writers and authors ($72,270, bachelor’s entry), editors ($75,260, bachelor’s entry), and postsecondary teachers in English language and literature ($78,270) and a more general postsecondary catchall ($78,490). Beyond those, graduates land in technical and content writing, instructional design, writing-center management, communications, and grant writing. Many programs also feed master’s and doctoral pipelines, especially for those drawn to college-level teaching.
Do I need a graduate degree to teach at the college level?
Yes for the named postsecondary roles. Both English language and literature teachers, postsecondary ($78,270) and the broader postsecondary teachers, all other ($78,490) list a doctoral or professional degree as typical entry. A master’s in rhetoric and composition opens community-college and adjunct teaching, but tenure-track positions at four-year institutions almost universally require a PhD. The bachelor’s here functions as a launching pad into MA and PhD programs in rhet/comp or English.
Is the job market for writers and editors stable?
The named SOC growth rates are modest: writers and authors at 3.6%, editors at 0.6%, English postsecondary teachers at 0%, and the broader postsecondary catchall at 1.8%. The five-year median across all completers is $49,216 — meaningfully below the headline writer/editor wages because many graduates spend early years in lower-paid contract, content-mill, or adjunct work before moving up. Job competition is real, particularly for staff roles at established publications.
What programs produce the most rhetoric and composition graduates?
Old Dominion University leads with 117 completions, followed by University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (112), University of Pittsburgh (104), and Clemson (77). The producer list is dominated by R1 and regional state universities with established writing programs and active writing centers — a different pattern from creative writing (CIP 23.1302, 3,403 completions), which clusters in MFA-feeder institutions. If you want strong writing-center practicum exposure or a feeder track to rhet/comp graduate programs, the producer list is a useful filter.