Masters of Fine Arts Creative Writing
Calling all poets and wordsmiths! Write your way towards the degree of your dreams with the best online MFA in creative writing.
Writing is in a world of its own. What other profession whisks you away to faraway lands, traverses undiscovered planets, or takes you back in time? In what other career can you plumb the depths of your emotions or perfectly capture a moment? An online MFA in creative writing gives you the skills to hone your craft and create your own world through words.
What can you do with an online MFA in creative writing?
Many people pursue an MFA in creative writing to get one step closer to their dream of becoming a published author. If this is your goal, you're on the right track! An MFA program gets you smack dab in the middle of the writing world. You'll interact with famous authors (some might even be faculty members in your program), you'll attend writers' conferences, and most importantly, you'll write!
Another career choice that many people choose (some even simultaneously to publishing their own work) is teaching. An MFA technically gives you the credentials to work as an adjunct professor or visiting professor at a college or university.
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What kind of online MFA in creative writing should you get?
Writing is a highly individualized profession. It's just you, and the blank page in front of you. It just makes sense, then, that it would be possible to earn this degree online.
Most of these programs operate either 100 percent online, or through what is called a "low-residency" program. This means you'll conduct most of your coursework online but also meet up with your cohort 2-4 times throughout the degree for intensive residencies.
One perk of choosing an online or low residency program rather than a "traditional" MFA program is that it is typically more affordable. You also won't have the responsibility of fulfilling a teaching fellowship. Overall, you can look forward to a flexible program that offers the same quality!
If you're not set on an MFA, check out College Choice's list of the Best Online Colleges and Universities regardless of major.
How much can you make with an online MFA in creative writing?
Writers somehow get pinned with being "struggling artists" when, in fact, that's usually not the case! Writing is all about the hustle. You have to put yourself – and your writing – out into the world. According to Payscale.com, the average annual income for an author or writer is around $51k. Not bad, right? This figure, of course, has the potential to increase dramatically if you write the next best seller. Just keep in mind . . . J.K. Rowling has a net worth of $1 billion.
If you choose to take your career in the direction of teaching, your annual salary increases, as does your overall job stability. Most assistant professors in the United States make around $65k per year.
What are the requirements for an online MFA in creative writing?
If you're serious about becoming a writer, earning an MFA is the perfect next step. But the admissions process for an MFA in creative writing is no small task. You'll have to show to the admissions board that you're already a serious writer.
Most admissions requirements include a 10-20 page writing sample in your specific genre. Put your best work forward! This could be fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screenwriting. Make sure you know the list of genres at the school of your choice.
Once you are accepted to a program, most curricula involve 36-70 credit hours total. This will include craft workshops, literature classes, genre seminars, and more. Some schools also require 7- to 10-day residencies on-campus.
What are the best online MFA in creative writing degrees?
Are you ready to write?Here at College Choice, we've narrowed down the best online MFA in creative writing degrees. We took a number of steps to find our list. First, we gathered the academic quality of each online program. Then we looked at affordability and the return on investment – a big factor in how you decide on a school. Last but not least, we factored in student happiness using retention rates and graduation rates of each program.
Our methodology draws from our data team at College Choice, the quality resources at U.S. News & World Report, and the number smarts at Payscale.com.
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Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
Accredited Online College Programs
Explore our featured online programs and find the right match for you today.
