U.S. median for this major: $47,141.
College Scorecard field of study; 26 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 49% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $54,679. College Scorecard.
Elmhurst University Writing: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Elmhurst University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,892 | $76,399 | 6.8 years |
| $30–48k | $18,377 | $78,470 | 7.0 years |
| $48–75k | $23,098 | $98,628 | 8.8 years |
| $75–110k | $25,419 | $108,539 | 9.6 years |
| $110k+ | $30,232 | $129,091 | 11.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (50% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Writing graduates 4 years after graduating ($47,052) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,255 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Writing at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Writing graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $56,632 | — | $13,297 | 62% |
| 2 | Elmhurst University | $47,052 | $23,250 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 3 | Illinois College | $45,716 | — | $18,298 | 64% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $44,004 | $23,250 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 5 | Columbia College Chicago | $39,751 | $27,000 | $26,598 | 52% |
| 6 | Knox College | $38,967 | $26,976 | $24,595 | 68% |
| 7 | Augustana College | $33,950 | — | $22,736 | 73% |
15 more Illinois colleges offer Writing but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Writing graduates
Editors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.9% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Elmhurst University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Elmhurst University
- Acceptance rate: 74% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,462
- Full cost breakdown · all 59 majors · overview
Related majors at Elmhurst University
- Journalism—
- English$46,021
- Communications$53,618
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
Elmhurst University Writing questions
How much do Elmhurst University Writing graduates earn?
Writing graduates of Elmhurst University earn a median $47,052 four years after graduating and $33,556 one year after. The U.S. median for Writing graduates across 135 colleges is $47,141.
How much debt do Elmhurst University Writing graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Writing graduates of Elmhurst University is $23,250, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Elmhurst University a good school for Writing in Illinois?
On pay, Writing graduates of Elmhurst University earn $47,052 four years out, $3,048 above the median for the same major across 7 Illinois colleges ($44,004) and $89 below the U.S. median ($47,141). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Elmhurst University rank for Writing in Illinois?
Of 7 Illinois colleges reporting Writing graduate earnings, Elmhurst University ranks 2nd. The highest is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale at $56,632.
What jobs do Writing graduates get?
A common career is editors, with a median wage of $80,380 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $77,920 nationally. Others include proofreaders and copy markers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Elmhurst University Writing: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/elmhurst-university/majors/writing (College Scorecard and BLS data).