Georgia·Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations·SOC 27-3043

Best Writer programs in Georgia, ranked by enrollment

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other.

44 schools in Georgia run programs that feed this job, graduating 3,742 people a year. The job pays a median of $74,710 in Georgia across about 820 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledAuthorNovelistCopywriterSongwriterFreelance WriterFreelance CopywriterAdvertising CopywriterAdvertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter)
Graduates / yr
3,742
in Georgia
Median pay · Georgia
$74,710
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
820
people employed
Schools
44
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
47%
across those schools
Median net price
$21,115
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Georgia that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

12 programs in Georgia that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Georgia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Georgia page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 23.1303In Georgia
2,334
62.4%
12$28,725$25,250
2
CIP 09.0401In Georgia
488
13.0%
9$34,515$24,250
3
CIP 09.0101In Georgia
358
9.6%
8$34,858$25,000
4
CIP 09.0102In Georgia
172
4.6%
10$34,858$25,000
5
CIP 09.0100In Georgia
135
3.6%
10$34,858$25,000
6
CIP 23.1302In Georgia
85
2.3%
11$28,725$25,250
7
CIP 50.0504In Georgia
59
1.6%
2$20,667$24,994
8
CIP 09.9999In Georgia
44
1.2%
2$36,931$24,500
9
CIP 23.1301In Georgia
34
0.9%
4$28,725$25,250
10
CIP 23.1304In Georgia
14
0.4%
3$28,725$25,250
11
CIP 52.0501In Georgia
12
0.3%
1$41,000$26,000
12
CIP 23.1399In Georgia
7
0.2%
1$28,725$25,250

Top 25 schools in Georgia

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 16 of the 44 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Chattahoochee Technical College
Marietta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
1,845Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing38%
2University of Georgia
Athens, GA Public · 4 feeder programs
363Journalism$36,63690%38%
3Southern Crescent Technical College
Griffin, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
196Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing58%
4Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA Public · 3 feeder programs
181Speech Communication and Rhetoric$27,91753%55%
5Central Georgia Technical College
Warner Robins, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
112Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing47%
6Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA Public · 4 feeder programs
95Journalism$30,79252%69%
7Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, GA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
93Playwriting and Screenwriting$20,53269%$44,90283%
8Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, GA Public · 3 feeder programs
86Journalism$38,60364%78%
9University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA Public · 2 feeder programs
70Journalism$27,26843%52%
10Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA Public · 2 feeder programs
65Mass Communication/Media Studies$26,70642%72%
11Middle Georgia State University
Macon, GA Public · 5 feeder programs
59Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing25%100%
12Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA Public · 3 feeder programs
53Speech Communication and Rhetoric55%88%
13Columbus State University
Columbus, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
52Communication, General$32,07842%99%
14Morehouse College
Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
45Communication, General$26,83959%$36,43144%
15Mercer University
Macon, GA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
44Speech Communication and Rhetoric$35,71270%$22,64169%
16Lanier Technical College
Gainesville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
40Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing34%
17Augusta University
Augusta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
37Speech Communication and Rhetoric$30,79649%86%
18Berry College
Mount Berry, GA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
35Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other$36,93169%$20,10864%
19Savannah State University
Savannah, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
31Journalism$24,31028%
20Emory University
Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
25Creative Writing$29,90991%$20,58611%
21Oglethorpe University
Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
21Communication, General54%$21,02288%
22Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Rome, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
19Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing43%
23Georgia Military College
Milledgeville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
17Communication, General38%
24Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
16Mass Communication/Media Studies$22,41041%66%
25Agnes Scott College
Decatur, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
15Creative Writing71%$23,94762%

All 44 schools in Georgia

Every school in Georgia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Georgia that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Chattahoochee Technical CollegeMariettaPublic1,8451
University of GeorgiaAthensPublic3634
Southern Crescent Technical CollegeGriffinPublic1961
Georgia State UniversityAtlantaPublic1813
Central Georgia Technical CollegeWarner RobinsPublic1121
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesawPublic954
Savannah College of Art and DesignSavannahPrivate not-for-profit932
Georgia College & State UniversityMilledgevillePublic863
University of West GeorgiaCarrolltonPublic702
Valdosta State UniversityValdostaPublic652
Middle Georgia State UniversityMaconPublic595
Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboroPublic533
Columbus State UniversityColumbusPublic521
Morehouse CollegeAtlantaPrivate not-for-profit452
Mercer UniversityMaconPrivate not-for-profit444

What writers and authors earn in Georgia

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Georgia
$74,710
Mean annual
$83,270
Jobs in state
820
What the range looks like
10th pct$38,460Median$74,71090th pct$133,540
Versus the national median
-2.9%

U.S. median $76,910. Georgia pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
0.55×

1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.

Metro areas in Georgia

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$81,990median
490 jobs
Savannah, GA
$68,030median
40 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+3.6%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
13,400
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
4,900
135,400 → 140,300
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Plus long-term on-the-job training

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Writers and Authors page.

How to become a Writer

Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Top skills

WritingReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive ListeningCritical ThinkingActive Learning

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Georgia

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 19 majors mapped to Writers and Authors19 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 09.0100Communication, General
  • 09.0101Speech Communication and Rhetoric
  • 09.0102Mass Communication/Media Studies
  • 09.0401Journalism
  • 09.0402Broadcast Journalism
  • 09.9999Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
  • 19.0202Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication
  • 23.1301Writing, General
  • 23.1302Creative Writing
  • 23.1303Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing
  • 23.1304Rhetoric and Composition
  • 23.1399Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Other
  • 23.1401General Literature
  • 23.1405Children's and Adolescent Literature
  • 23.1499Literature, Other
  • 50.0504Playwriting and Screenwriting
  • 50.0511Comedy Writing and Performance
  • 52.0501Business/Corporate Communications, General
  • 52.0599Business/Corporate Communications, Other

Common questions

Answers for people weighing writers and authors programs in Georgia.

What degree do you need to become a Writer?+

Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing, which awarded 2,334 degrees in Georgia in 2024-25, 62.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Writer?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 12 programs to this occupation. The largest are Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Communication and Media Studies, Journalism, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 3,742 people a year in Georgia.

How much do writers and authors earn in Georgia?+

The median is $74,710 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 2.9% below the U.S. median of $76,910. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for writers and authors growing?+

BLS projects a +3.6% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 13,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Georgia?+

44 institutions in Georgia reported graduates from at least one of the 12 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do writers and authors work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Author, Novelist, Copywriter, Songwriter, Freelance Writer, Freelance Copywriter among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-3043.

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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