Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates from University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus earn $63,139 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $26,697.
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Certificate
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at the certificate credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 55 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $63,139 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $39,268 across all institutions offering Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, the mean median-earnings figure is $75,383, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus is $26,697, which translates to roughly $222 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus (this school) | $63,139 | $26,697 |
| University of Iowa | $46,614 | $23,750 |
| Delta College | $44,564 | — |
| Boise State University | $31,148 | — |
| Chattahoochee Technical College | $25,194 | — |
| Temple University | $24,951 | — |
Other Programs at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | $250,731 | — |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | $228,486 | — |
| Dentistry | $187,912 | $235,835 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $158,761 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $155,798 | $80,061 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $138,548 | $49,367 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $138,129 | $41,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $132,129 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $123,128 | $113,974 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $121,958 | $25,394 |
View all 141 programs at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus →
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.