Best Writer programs in Tennessee, ranked by enrollment
Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other.
27 schools in Tennessee run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,231 people a year. The job pays a median of $58,870 in Tennessee across about 1,260 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Tennessee that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
13 programs in Tennessee that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Tennessee (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 Tennessee page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 09.0102In Tennessee → | 368 | 29.9% | 9 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 09.0401In Tennessee → | 289 | 23.5% | 8 | $34,515 | $24,250 |
| 3 | CIP 09.0101In Tennessee → | 248 | 20.1% | 11 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 09.0100In Tennessee → | 165 | 13.4% | 4 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 5 | CIP 23.1302In Tennessee → | 65 | 5.3% | 9 | $28,725 | $25,250 |
| 6 | CIP 23.1401In Tennessee → | 27 | 2.2% | 1 | $23,868 | $26,552 |
| 7 | CIP 23.1304In Tennessee → | 19 | 1.5% | 1 | $28,725 | $25,250 |
| 8 | CIP 09.9999In Tennessee → | 16 | 1.3% | 3 | $36,931 | $24,500 |
| 9 | CIP 23.1303In Tennessee → | 10 | 0.8% | 2 | $28,725 | $25,250 |
| 10 | CIP 50.0504In Tennessee → | 8 | 0.6% | 2 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 11 | CIP 09.0402In Tennessee → | 6 | 0.5% | 2 | $34,515 | $24,250 |
| 12 | CIP 52.0501In Tennessee → | 6 | 0.5% | 1 | $41,000 | $26,000 |
| 13 | CIP 23.1301In Tennessee → | 4 | 0.3% | 1 | $28,725 | $25,250 |
Top 25 schools in Tennessee
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 13 of the 27 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN Public · 4 feeder programs | 370 | Journalism | $32,082 | 74% | — | 42% |
| 2 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · 4 feeder programs | 178 | Journalism | $30,659 | 54% | — | 69% |
| 3 | University of Memphis Memphis, TN Public · 3 feeder programs | 121 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $26,922 | 51% | — | 72% |
| 4 | The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 117 | Communication, General | $33,082 | 50% | — | 81% |
| 5 | East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN Public · 2 feeder programs | 91 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $27,380 | 53% | — | 86% |
| 6 | The University of the South Sewanee, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 51 | General Literature | — | 80% | $21,573 | 57% |
| 7 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN Public · 3 feeder programs | 50 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $25,643 | 40% | — | 96% |
| 8 | Tennessee State University Nashville, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 44 | Communication, General | $25,140 | 34% | — | 70% |
| 9 | Belmont University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 33 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $41,889 | 71% | $29,246 | 95% |
| 10 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 24 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | — | 94% | $14,854 | 6% |
| 11 | Bryan College - Dayton Dayton, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | — | 50% | $16,130 | — |
| 12 | Lee University Cleveland, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $27,365 | 63% | $18,918 | 71% |
| 13 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN Public · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $28,828 | 58% | — | 76% |
| 14 | Union University Jackson, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Journalism | — | 66% | $25,882 | 60% |
| 15 | The University of Tennessee - Martin Martin, TN Public · 2 feeder programs | 14 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $26,803 | 53% | — | 88% |
| 16 | Lane College Jackson, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | — | 18% | $14,494 | — |
| 17 | Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 11 | Broadcast Journalism | — | 49% | $24,187 | 65% |
| 18 | Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 10 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $27,053 | 53% | $14,286 | 69% |
| 19 | Carson - Newman University Jefferson City, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $28,221 | 53% | $19,537 | 90% |
| 20 | Christian Brothers University Memphis, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Business/Corporate Communications, General | — | 55% | $11,063 | 87% |
| 21 | Maryville College Maryville, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing | — | 50% | $20,489 | 61% |
| 22 | Cumberland University Lebanon, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Creative Writing | — | 46% | $19,206 | 67% |
| 23 | Freed - Hardeman University Henderson, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | — | 71% | $19,418 | 60% |
| 24 | Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Playwriting and Screenwriting | — | 31% | — | — |
| 25 | Tusculum University Greeneville, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Communication, General | — | 25% | $22,577 | 72% |
All 27 schools in Tennessee
Every school in Tennessee 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.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Tennessee - Knoxville | Knoxville | Public | 370 | 4 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro | Public | 178 | 4 |
| University of Memphis | Memphis | Public | 121 | 3 |
| The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Public | 117 | 1 |
| East Tennessee State University | Johnson City | Public | 91 | 2 |
| The University of the South | Sewanee | Private not-for-profit | 51 | 2 |
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville | Public | 50 | 3 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville | Public | 44 | 1 |
| Belmont University | Nashville | Private not-for-profit | 33 | 4 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Private not-for-profit | 24 | 2 |
| Bryan College - Dayton | Dayton | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 2 |
| Lee University | Cleveland | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 2 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville | Public | 15 | 2 |
| Union University | Jackson | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 2 |
| The University of Tennessee - Martin | Martin | Public | 14 | 2 |
What writers and authors earn in Tennessee
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $76,910. Tennessee pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: Tennessee employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Tennessee
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
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
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Tennessee
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 Tennessee.
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 Mass Communication/Media Studies, which awarded 368 degrees in Tennessee in 2024-25, 29.9% 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 13 programs to this occupation. The largest are Communication and Media Studies, Journalism, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Literature, plus 3 more. Together they graduate about 1,231 people a year in Tennessee.
How much do writers and authors earn in Tennessee?+
The median is $58,870 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 23.5% 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 Tennessee?+
27 institutions in Tennessee reported graduates from at least one of the 13 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 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected 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 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, 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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