U.S. median for this major: $47,141.
College Scorecard field of study; 38 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 66% 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 $29,237. College Scorecard.
WMU 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 WMU'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 | $5,263 | $24,262 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 8.6 years |
| $75–110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 11.4 years |
| $110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 14.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (29% 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 ($40,792) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,381 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | Michigan State University | $56,662 | $25,750 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 2 | Saginaw Valley State University | $50,875 | $30,432 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 3 | Ferris State University | $47,823 | $21,500 | $8,624 | 47% |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $43,689 | $13,999 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 5 | Grand Valley State University | $43,552 | $25,000 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 6 | Eastern Michigan University | $40,929 | — | $15,407 | 46% |
| 7 | Western Michigan University | $40,792 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 8 | Northern Michigan University | $39,982 | $24,250 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 9 | Aquinas College | $39,465 | $26,844 | $16,626 | 65% |
| 10 | University of Michigan-Flint | $33,533 | $27,875 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 11 | Calvin University | $32,843 | — | $22,992 | 74% |
11 more Michigan 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 WMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WMU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,562
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at WMU
- Journalism—
- English$43,628
- Communications$51,446
- Public Relations and Advertising$64,127
WMU Writing questions
How much do WMU Writing graduates earn?
Writing graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median $40,792 four years after graduating and $21,468 one year after. The U.S. median for Writing graduates across 135 colleges is $47,141.
How much debt do WMU Writing graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Writing graduates of Western Michigan University is $27,000, about 66% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is WMU a good school for Writing in Michigan?
On pay, Writing graduates of Western Michigan University earn $40,792 four years out, $137 below the median for the same major across 11 Michigan colleges ($40,929) and $6,349 below the U.S. median ($47,141). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WMU rank for Writing in Michigan?
Of 11 Michigan colleges reporting Writing graduate earnings, Western Michigan University ranks 7th. The highest is Michigan State University at $56,662.
What jobs do Writing graduates get?
A common career is editors, with a median wage of $63,090 in Michigan 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: “Western Michigan University Writing: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/writing (College Scorecard and BLS data).