U.S. median for this major: $47,141.
College Scorecard field of study; 31 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 62% 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 $30,785. College Scorecard.
SU 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 SU'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 | $18,709 | $81,197 | 10.4 years |
| $30–48k | $18,515 | $80,355 | 10.3 years |
| $48–75k | $21,386 | $92,815 | 11.9 years |
| $75–110k | $25,469 | $110,535 | 14.2 years |
| $110k+ | $28,387 | $123,200 | 15.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (36% 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 ($43,607) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,810 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 | Carnegie Mellon University | $71,205 | — | $31,944 | 94% |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | $57,012 | $26,000 | $15,350 | 48% |
| 3 | University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg | $57,012 | $26,000 | $17,945 | 40% |
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | $57,012 | $26,000 | $18,202 | 56% |
| 5 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $57,012 | $26,000 | $30,434 | 86% |
| 6 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | $47,530 | $27,000 | $21,331 | 54% |
| 7 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $43,607 | $27,000 | $23,726 | 56% |
| 8 | Susquehanna University | $40,989 | $27,000 | $28,819 | 82% |
30 more Pennsylvania 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 SU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SU
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 56% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,351
- Full cost breakdown · all 41 majors · overview
Related majors at SU
- Journalism$47,760
- English$41,226
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
SU Writing questions
How much do SU Writing graduates earn?
Writing graduates of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania earn a median $43,607 four years after graduating and $37,446 one year after. The U.S. median for Writing graduates across 135 colleges is $47,141.
How much debt do SU Writing graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Writing graduates of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is $27,000, about 62% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is SU a good school for Writing in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Writing graduates of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania earn $43,607 four years out, $13,405 below the median for the same major across 8 Pennsylvania colleges ($57,012) and $3,534 below the U.S. median ($47,141). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SU rank for Writing in Pennsylvania?
Of 8 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Writing graduate earnings, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ranks 7th. The highest is Carnegie Mellon University at $71,205.
What jobs do Writing graduates get?
A common career is editors, with a median wage of $62,930 in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 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: “Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Writing: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/shippensburg-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/writing (College Scorecard and BLS data).