Best Creative Writing Universities in United States [2026 Rankings]

1

New York State | New York City

Columbia University

For Creative Writing

#2 in North America #3 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

2

California | Stanford

Stanford University

For Creative Writing

#3 in North America #6 in the World

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

3

Texas | Austin, TX

University of Texas at Austin

For Creative Writing

#5 in North America #8 in the World

27% Acceptance

43,165 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

4

Connecticut | New Haven

Yale University

For Creative Writing

#6 in North America #9 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1701 Founded

5

Michigan | Ann Arbor

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

For Creative Writing

#7 in North America #10 in the World

16% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1445 Avg SAT

1817 Founded

6

California | Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

For Creative Writing

#8 in North America #11 in the World

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

7

Ohio | Columbus, OH

Ohio State University

For Creative Writing

#10 in North America #16 in the World

61% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1395 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

8

Pennsylvania | University Park, PA

Pennsylvania State University

For Creative Writing

#11 in North America #17 in the World

61% Acceptance

42,604 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

9

Illinois | Chicago

University of Chicago

For Creative Writing

#12 in North America #18 in the World

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

10

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

University of Pennsylvania

For Creative Writing

#13 in North America #19 in the World

5% Acceptance

1,947 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1740 Founded

11

Illinois | Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

For Creative Writing

#14 in North America #20 in the World

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

12

New York State | New York City

New York University

For Creative Writing

#15 in North America #21 in the World

9% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

13

California | Los Angeles

University of Southern California

For Creative Writing

#16 in North America #22 in the World

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

14

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

For Creative Writing

#17 in North America #25 in the World

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

15

Wisconsin | Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin – Madison

For Creative Writing

#18 in North America #27 in the World

45% Acceptance

38,040 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1848 Founded

16

California | Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#19 in North America #31 in the World

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

17

New York State | Ithaca

Cornell University

For Creative Writing

#20 in North America #34 in the World

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

18

Arizona | Tempe

Arizona State University – Tempe

For Creative Writing

#21 in North America #35 in the World

90% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

970 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

19

Washington | Seattle

University of Washington – Seattle

For Creative Writing

#22 in North America #36 in the World

39% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

20

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Emory University

For Creative Writing

#23 in North America #38 in the World

11% Acceptance

967 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

1836 Founded

21

Virginia | Charlottesville

University of Virginia

For Creative Writing

#25 in North America #40 in the World

17% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

22

North Carolina | Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For Creative Writing

#27 in North America #42 in the World

15% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

23

Maryland | College Park

University of Maryland – College Park

For Creative Writing

#28 in North America #45 in the World

45% Acceptance

31,133 Enrollment

1465 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

24

Arizona | Tucson

University of Arizona

For Creative Writing

#29 in North America #46 in the World

86% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

25

Massachusetts | Boston

Boston College

For Creative Writing

#30 in North America #47 in the World

16% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

26

Illinois | Evanston

Northwestern University

For Creative Writing

#31 in North America #48 in the World

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

27

New Jersey | Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

For Creative Writing

#32 in North America #50 in the World

5% Acceptance

5,813 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1746 Founded

28

New Jersey | New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers University – New Brunswick

For Creative Writing

#33 in North America #54 in the World

58% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1766 Founded

29

California | Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

For Creative Writing

#34 in North America #60 in the World

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

30

Indiana | West Lafayette

Purdue University

For Creative Writing

#35 in North America #61 in the World

50% Acceptance

44,819 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

31

Michigan | East Lansing

Michigan State University

For Creative Writing

#36 in North America #62 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

32

Florida | Tampa

University of South Florida

For Creative Writing

#37 in North America #64 in the World

43% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1225 Avg SAT

1956 Founded

33

District of Columbia | Washington, DC

Georgetown University

For Creative Writing

#39 in North America #68 in the World

13% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1470 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

34

Florida | Tallahassee

Florida State University

For Creative Writing

#40 in North America #71 in the World

24% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

35

California | Irvine

University of California – Irvine

For Creative Writing

#41 in North America #75 in the World

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

36

Minnesota | Minneapolis

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

For Creative Writing

#42 in North America #77 in the World

80% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

37

Maryland | Baltimore

Johns Hopkins University

For Creative Writing

#43 in North America #78 in the World

6% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

38

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#45 in North America #81 in the World

58% Acceptance

25,900 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1787 Founded

39

Illinois | Chicago

University of Illinois at Chicago

For Creative Writing

#46 in North America #84 in the World

77% Acceptance

22,495 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

40

Florida | Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

For Creative Writing

#48 in North America #90 in the World

24% Acceptance

36,573 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

41

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

Temple University

For Creative Writing

#49 in North America #91 in the World

80% Acceptance

21,457 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1884 Founded

42

Iowa State | Iowa City

University of Iowa

For Creative Writing

#50 in North America #96 in the World

84% Acceptance

22,738 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

43

California | San Diego

University of California-San Diego

For Creative Writing

#51 in North America #97 in the World

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

44

Virginia | Blacksburg

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

For Creative Writing

#52 in North America #98 in the World

55% Acceptance

31,035 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1872 Founded

45

Utah | Salt Lake

University of Utah

For Creative Writing

#53 in North America #99 in the World

86% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

46

California | Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

For Creative Writing

#54 in North America #101 in the World

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

47

North Carolina | Raleigh

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

For Creative Writing

#55 in North America #102 in the World

42% Acceptance

28,422 Enrollment

1385 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

48

Tennessee | Nashville

Vanderbilt University

For Creative Writing

#56 in North America #104 in the World

6% Acceptance

7,221 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1873 Founded

49

North Carolina | Durham, NC

Duke University

For Creative Writing

#57 in North America #107 in the World

6% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1838 Founded

50

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon University

For Creative Writing

#58 in North America #108 in the World

12% Acceptance

7,377 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1900 Founded

51

Missouri | St. Louis

Washington University in St Louis

For Creative Writing

#59 in North America #112 in the World

12% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

52

Indiana | Bloomington, IN

Indiana University – Bloomington

For Creative Writing

#60 in North America #114 in the World

78% Acceptance

6,885 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1820 Founded

53

Kansas State | Lawrence, KS

University of Kansas

For Creative Writing

#63 in North America #121 in the World

93% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1185 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

54

Colorado | Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

For Creative Writing

#64 in North America #123 in the World

78% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

55

Indiana | Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

For Creative Writing

#66 in North America #130 in the World

11% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1508 Avg SAT

1844 Founded

56

California | Davis

University of California – Davis

For Creative Writing

#67 in North America #132 in the World

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

57

Missouri | Columbia, MO

University of Missouri – Columbia

For Creative Writing

#68 in North America #136 in the World

78% Acceptance

24,449 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1839 Founded

58

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Creative Writing

#69 in North America #138 in the World

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

59

Massachusetts | Boston

Boston University

For Creative Writing

#70 in North America #140 in the World

11% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

60

Texas | College Station

Texas A&M University – College Station

For Creative Writing

#71 in North America #145 in the World

57% Acceptance

60,710 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

61

Iowa State | Ames

Iowa State University

For Creative Writing

#72 in North America #147 in the World

89% Acceptance

25,628 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

62

Tennessee | Knoxville

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

For Creative Writing

#73 in North America #149 in the World

42% Acceptance

30,564 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1794 Founded

63

Utah | Provo

Brigham Young University – Provo

For Creative Writing

#75 in North America #151 in the World

68% Acceptance

32,701 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1875 Founded

64

California | San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

For Creative Writing

#76 in North America #153 in the World

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

65

Georgia, US | Athens, GA

University of Georgia

For Creative Writing

#77 in North America #154 in the World

38% Acceptance

3,177 Enrollment

1375 Avg SAT

1785 Founded

66

Massachusetts | Amherst, MA

University of Massachusetts – Amherst

For Creative Writing

#78 in North America #157 in the World

60% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

67

New York State | Buffalo

University at Buffalo

For Creative Writing

#79 in North America #159 in the World

74% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1295 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

68

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Georgia Institute of Technology

For Creative Writing

#80 in North America #160 in the World

14% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

69

Texas | Houston, TX

University of Houston

For Creative Writing

#81 in North America #164 in the World

74% Acceptance

39,257 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1927 Founded

70

Alabama | Tuscaloosa

University of Alabama

For Creative Writing

#82 in North America #170 in the World

77% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

71

Connecticut | Storrs

University of Connecticut

For Creative Writing

#84 in North America #172 in the World

52% Acceptance

20,056 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1881 Founded

72

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Georgia State University

For Creative Writing

#85 in North America #173 in the World

55% Acceptance

12,230 Enrollment

1060 Avg SAT

1913 Founded

73

Nebraska | Lincoln, NE

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

For Creative Writing

#86 in North America #175 in the World

87% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1214 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

74

Ohio | Cleveland, OH

Case Western Reserve University

For Creative Writing

#87 in North America #176 in the World

37% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1826 Founded

75

Kentucky | Lexington, KY

University of Kentucky

For Creative Writing

#88 in North America #177 in the World

93% Acceptance

25,534 Enrollment

1180 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

76

Oklahoma State | Norman

University of Oklahoma – Norman

For Creative Writing

#89 in North America #178 in the World

77% Acceptance

23,329 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

77

Tennessee | Memphis

University of Memphis

For Creative Writing

#94 in North America #191 in the World

72% Acceptance

15,770 Enrollment

1048 Avg SAT

1912 Founded

78

New York State | Syracuse

Syracuse University

For Creative Writing

#95 in North America #192 in the World

46% Acceptance

14,074 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

79

Florida | Orlando

University of Central Florida

For Creative Writing

#96 in North America #197 in the World

40% Acceptance

59,552 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1963 Founded

80

Texas | Lubbock

Texas Tech University

For Creative Writing

#97 in North America #199 in the World

73% Acceptance

32,580 Enrollment

1185 Avg SAT

1923 Founded

81

Virginia | Fairfax

George Mason University

For Creative Writing

#98 in North America #208 in the World

87% Acceptance

6,353 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

82

New York State | Albany, NY

SUNY at Albany

For Creative Writing

#101 in North America #216 in the World

69% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1844 Founded

83

District of Columbia | Washington, DC

George Washington University

For Creative Writing

#103 in North America #223 in the World

47% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1425 Avg SAT

1821 Founded

84

North Carolina | Charlotte

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

For Creative Writing

#104 in North America #228 in the World

80% Acceptance

4,202 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

85

Ohio | Kent

Kent State University at Kent

For Creative Writing

#105 in North America #231 in the World

86% Acceptance

14,074 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1910 Founded

86

Illinois | Chicago

Loyola University Chicago

For Creative Writing

#106 in North America #232 in the World

82% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

87

Massachusetts | Medford, MA

Tufts University

For Creative Writing

#108 in North America #234 in the World

11% Acceptance

7,126 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1852 Founded

88

New York State | Stony Brook

Stony Brook University

For Creative Writing

#110 in North America #240 in the World

49% Acceptance

18,263 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

89

New York State | Rochester, NY

University of Rochester

For Creative Writing

#111 in North America #244 in the World

40% Acceptance

6,580 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

90

Rhode Island | Providence

Brown University

For Creative Writing

#112 in North America #245 in the World

5% Acceptance

7,910 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1764 Founded

91

Indiana | Indianapolis

Indiana University – Purdue University – Indianapolis

For Creative Writing

#115 in North America #256 in the World

76% Acceptance

1,677 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

92

Ohio | Bowling Green, OH

Bowling Green State University

For Creative Writing

#116 in North America #257 in the World

81% Acceptance

4,319 Enrollment

1105 Avg SAT

1910 Founded

93

Louisiana | Baton Rouge

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

For Creative Writing

#117 in North America #260 in the World

73% Acceptance

34,242 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

94

Oregon | Eugene

University of Oregon

For Creative Writing

#118 in North America #264 in the World

88% Acceptance

13,061 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

95

Florida | Coral Gables

University of Miami

For Creative Writing

#120 in North America #267 in the World

19% Acceptance

2,986 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

96

Ohio | Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati

For Creative Writing

#122 in North America #277 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

97

Oregon | Portland, OR

Portland State University

For Creative Writing

#124 in North America #282 in the World

91% Acceptance

10,811 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

98

South Carolina | Columbia, SC

University of South Carolina – Columbia

For Creative Writing

#126 in North America #290 in the World

60% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1801 Founded

99

California | Riverside

University of California – Riverside

For Creative Writing

#127 in North America #291 in the World

76% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1954 Founded

100

Michigan | Detroit

Wayne State University

For Creative Writing

#128 in North America #292 in the World

81% Acceptance

16,012 Enrollment

1165 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

100 Best Universities in United States for Creative Writing

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