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Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA · Public · Certificate
41 /100
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
47
Strong Growth
41
Base Case
33
Conservative
Earnings $29,647/yr (-7% vs median)
AI-Proof Exposed (38% shielded)
Job Market Large (48,200 openings/yr)

Future-Proof Earnings

Three scenarios modeling future earnings based on technology adoption rates and job market trends for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates.

Strong Growth
Full Stability		 Base Case
Moderate Changes		 Conservative
Max Disruption
10-Year Earnings $512K $311K $196K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 46.7x 28.4x 17.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 15.5x 9.4x 6.0x
Viable Career Paths 6 of 6 6 of 6 4 of 6
TradeSchoolWorth Score 47 41 33

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as technology and market conditions evolve over time.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$10,964
Out-of-state: $32,927
Median Debt at Graduation
$23,750
9.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$46,070
55% growth from Year 1

Career Paths

Where Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 48,200 combined openings per year.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI-Proof
Technical writers $91,670 4,500 +0.9% 30%
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490 13,500 +1.8% 100%
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary $78,270 5,100 0.0% 47%
Editors $75,260 9,800 +0.6% 35%
Writers and authors $72,270 13,400 +3.6% 11%
Proofreaders and copy markers $49,210 1,900 -0.6% 2%

Compare & Explore

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Overview

View all 6 schools offering Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies →

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at Other Schools

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus ($43,896) Austin Community College District ($33,514) Boise State University ($31,148) Full Sail University ($28,090) Temple University ($24,951)

Other Majors at University of Iowa

Insurance ($62,250) International Business ($60,660) Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations ($46,878) Public Health ($41,503) Hospitality Administration/Management ($36,752) Sustainability Studies ($34,699) Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies ($34,216) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($34,012)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Iowa?
This program scores 41/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 33 (conservative) to 47 (strong growth) depending on market conditions.
How AI-proof is a career in Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies?
We model three scenarios: Strong Growth (full career stability), Base Case (moderate changes), and Conservative (maximum disruption). In the base case, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates retain 6 of 6 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $196,127 (conservative) to $511,547 (strong growth).
How many job openings are there for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies have roughly 48,200 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Iowa worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 28.4x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 17.9x. The narrow spread between scenarios shows how stable trade careers are compared to desk jobs.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios model earnings resilience using AI exposure data and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2026.