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CIP 23.1303 English Language and Literature

Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

Total graduates

959

2025 · 91 schools

International share

2.7%

26 international students

Bachelor's degrees

632

0.8% international

Master's degrees

308

6.8% international

Overview

Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing is a multifaceted field that emphasizes the development of writing skills tailored to various professional contexts. This discipline combines elements of communication, technical knowledge, and analytical thinking, equipping students to convey complex information clearly and effectively.

Students in this program learn to produce a wide range of documents, including reports, manuals, proposals, and scientific papers, all while adhering to industry-specific standards and conventions. The curriculum often covers topics such as audience analysis, document design, and the ethical implications of technical communication. By understanding the needs of different audiences, students become adept at adapting their writing style and content to suit various purposes, whether in a corporate, scientific, or technical setting.

Moreover, this field emphasizes collaboration and teamwork, as many projects require input from cross-disciplinary teams. Students often engage in real-world projects or internships that provide practical experience and help build a professional portfolio. The skills acquired in this program are highly transferable and in demand across various industries, including technology, healthcare, engineering, and business.

In summary, Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing prepares students to become proficient communicators capable of tackling the writing challenges of modern workplaces. As industries continue to evolve and demand clear, concise communication, graduates of this program will find themselves well-positioned for a successful career in a variety of fields.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2010 to 2025, graduates fell 24% and the international share went from 1.8% to 2.7%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
68.2%
Asian
3.3%
Hispanic
10.8%
Black
7.3%
Other
7.6%
Intl.
2.7%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 91 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#9 Johns Hopkins University Maryland 45 0
#14 Carnegie Mellon University Pennsylvania 12 0
#55 Purdue University-Main Campus Indiana 22 0
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 12 0
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 14 0
#73 North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Carolina 8 1
#85 New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey 8 0
#90 Baylor University Texas 25 0
#100 Auburn University Alabama 5 1
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 19 0
#100 Elon University North Carolina 3 0
#116 Iowa State University Iowa 13 0
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 14 0
#121 University of Arizona Arizona 2 0
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 1 0
#133 Miami University-Oxford Ohio 15 0
#137 James Madison University Virginia 46 3
#148 University of Rhode Island Rhode Island 7 0
#156 University of St Thomas (MN) Minnesota 6 0
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 31 0
#191 Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri 17 9
#202 East Carolina University North Carolina 7 0
#208 University of Idaho Idaho 2 0
#227 San Francisco State University California 1 0
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 5 0
#236 Portland State University Oregon 6 0
#250 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Massachusetts 6 0
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 14 0
#276 Harding University Arkansas 1 0
#276 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Ohio 26 5
#288 University of Indianapolis Indiana 2 0
#288 Texas State University Texas 9 0
#288 Utah State University Utah 7 0
#308 Oakland University Michigan 6 0
#317 Ferris State University Michigan 1 0
#342 Missouri State University Missouri 14 0
#342 Kennesaw State University Georgia 23 0
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 3 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 18 0
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 5 0
#376 University of Arkansas--Little Rock Arkansas 23 0
#382 Grand Canyon University Arizona 51 0
#382 University of Colorado--Colorado Springs Colorado 13 0
LAC #165 Bridgewater College Virginia 3 0
LAC #184 Utah Tech University Utah 4 0
— Savannah College of Art and Design Georgia 40 2
— Arizona State University Digital Immersion Arizona 38 0
— Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 26 1
— University of Houston-Downtown Texas 18 0
— University of Wisconsin-Stout Wisconsin 18 0
— Middle Georgia State University Georgia 17 0
— Towson University Maryland 14 0
— New England College New Hampshire 11 0
— Metropolitan State University Minnesota 10 1
— Cedarville University Ohio 10 0
— East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 8 0
— Maryville College Tennessee 8 0
— Saginaw Valley State University Michigan 7 0
— Weber State University Utah 7 0
— University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Wisconsin 7 0
— New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology New Mexico 6 1
— State University of New York at Cortland New York 6 0
— CUNY New York City College of Technology New York 5 0
— York College of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 5 0
— Minnesota State University-Mankato Minnesota 4 0
— Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Missouri 4 0
— Taylor University Indiana 3 0
— Park University Missouri 3 0
— Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks Pennsylvania 3 0
— Waynesburg University Pennsylvania 3 0
— Austin Community College District Texas 3 0
— Southwest Minnesota State University Minnesota 2 0
— Capital University Ohio 2 0
— Stark State College Ohio 2 0
— Oregon Institute of Technology Oregon 2 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 149,840 — $90,630
Editors 91,690 $43.30 $90,060
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary 57,720 — $89,580
Writers and Authors 47,940 $41.39 $86,090
Technical Writers 45,500 $46.62 $96,970

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2010–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.