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CIP 23.1304 English Language and Literature

Rhetoric and Composition

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

Total graduates

1,331

2025 · 75 schools

International share

4.1%

54 international students

Bachelor's degrees

1,096

2.6% international

Master's degrees

107

8.4% international

Overview

Rhetoric and Composition is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the art of effective communication and the processes involved in writing. This major examines the theories and practices of rhetoric, which is the study of how language influences and persuades audiences. Students explore various forms of writing, including academic essays, creative writing, technical documents, and digital communication.

The curriculum typically includes courses on writing theory, composition pedagogy, critical thinking, and the rhetorical analysis of texts. Students also engage in practical writing experiences, often involving workshops that allow them to receive feedback on their work and improve their writing skills. Additionally, the field emphasizes the importance of understanding audience and context, enabling students to tailor their messages to specific groups and situations.

Rhetoric and Composition prepares students for a wide range of careers, including roles in education, publishing, marketing, and communications. Graduates often find positions as writing instructors, editors, content creators, or communication specialists. Moreover, the skills developed in this major—such as analytical thinking, persuasive writing, and effective communication—are highly valued in various professional environments.

Overall, Rhetoric and Composition is a vital discipline that equips students with essential tools for navigating and contributing to contemporary discourse, making it an important area of study in the context of the increasingly complex communication landscape of the modern world.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2010 to 2025, graduates fell 81% and the international share went from 1.6% to 4.1%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
60.0%
Asian
3.5%
Hispanic
11.9%
Black
12.5%
Other
8.0%
Intl.
4.1%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 75 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
#14 Carnegie Mellon University Pennsylvania 5 1
#20 University of California-Berkeley California 33 3
#25 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Michigan 4 0
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 24 0
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 96 7
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 117 3
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 15 1
#72 Syracuse University New York 4 0
#80 Clemson University South Carolina 64 6
#90 Texas Christian University Texas 5 0
#116 Iowa State University Iowa 3 0
#121 University of Arizona Arizona 4 1
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 28 0
#121 George Mason University Virginia 15 1
#148 University of Kentucky Kentucky 6 0
#156 Duquesne University Pennsylvania 7 2
#169 DePaul University Illinois 15 0
#169 Michigan Technological University Michigan 10 4
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 4 0
#179 University of Mississippi Mississippi 2 0
#179 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Ohio 32 1
#179 University of Utah Utah 24 1
#191 Drake University Iowa 6 0
#227 West Chester University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 94 1
#236 University of New Mexico-Main Campus New Mexico 74 5
#236 North Dakota State University-Main Campus North Dakota 2 1
#250 Nova Southeastern University Florida 9 2
#262 University of Texas--El Paso Texas 8 4
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 7 0
#276 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Ohio 57 1
#288 Texas State University Texas 2 0
#299 Boise State University Idaho 18 1
#317 Ferris State University Michigan 12 0
#328 East Tennessee State University Tennessee 19 0
#328 Old Dominion University Virginia 120 2
#332 Clark Atlanta University Georgia 3 0
#332 Texas Woman's University Texas 3 0
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 37 2
#365 Jackson State University Mississippi 6 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 19 0
LAC #21 University of Richmond Virginia 24 0
LAC #26 Bates College Maine 8 1
LAC #38 Scripps College California 2 0
LAC #38 Trinity University Texas 4 0
LAC #44 Pitzer College California 2 0
LAC #119 Coe College Iowa 1 0
LAC #125 Goucher College Maryland 5 0
LAC #128 University of Minnesota-Morris Minnesota 6 0
LAC #146 Oglethorpe University Georgia 3 0
— Metropolitan State University of Denver Colorado 43 0
— CUNY Kingsborough Community College New York 17 2
— Elmhurst University Illinois 15 0
— University of Montevallo Alabama 12 0
— University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Pennsylvania 12 0
— Salt Lake Community College Utah 12 0
— Georgia College & State University Georgia 8 0
— University of Nebraska at Kearney Nebraska 7 0
— Tiffin University Ohio 7 0
— University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Pennsylvania 7 0
— CUNY York College New York 5 0
— Shawnee State University Ohio 5 0
— Sul Ross State University Texas 5 0
— Bethel University Indiana 4 0
— Northern State University South Dakota 3 1
— Del Mar College Texas 3 0
— University of Houston-Downtown Texas 3 0
— Eastern Michigan University Michigan 2 0
— Stark State College Ohio 2 0
— Illinois College Illinois 1 0
— Mississippi Valley State University Mississippi 1 0
— University of Central Oklahoma Oklahoma 1 0
— University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Pennsylvania 1 0
— Rhode Island College Rhode Island 1 0
— Galveston College Texas 1 0
— Temple College Texas 1 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

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.