creativewritingmfa.info – rankings

Rankings

This is an attempt at creating an objective ranking of graduate creative writing programs.

For further and more detailed information on how the scores are generated see the methodology page.

The List

Program Overall score Fiction score Poetry score CNF score Genres Degrees State
Johns Hopkins University 10350 9350 8100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA MD
University of Virginia 9544 11600 7900 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA VA
Ohio State University 9023 10100 7100 12600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
Iowa Writers Workshop 8255 9984 5100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA IA
Indiana University 8225 7850 8600 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA IN
University of Arizona 7600 7100 2600 13100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA AZ
University of Texas, James Michener Center 7350 5850 1850 183 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenwriting MFA TX
University of Cincinnati 6350 7350 3433 11100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF PhD OH
Florida State University 5933 2100 3016 1016 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA, PhD FL
University of Southern California 5900 9100 3766 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF PhD CA
University of Houston 5662 3100 1725 1287 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD TX
Syracuse University 5645 7433 2100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NY
University of Minnesota 5372 5600 4100 6100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MN
University of Wisconsin Madison 4933 4433 600 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA WI
University of North Carolina Greensboro 4800 5700 3900 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NC
Purdue University 4725 2975 1850 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA IN
University of Iowa 4350 100 100 4350 CNF MFA, PhD IA
University of Idaho 4100 1433 4433 6433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA ID
Boston University 3988 4600 2600 0 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MFA MA
Arizona State University 3975 2850 1225 475 Fiction, Poetry MFA AZ
Warren Wilson College 3938 3912 3966 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NC
University of Maryland, College Park 3475 600 2725 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA MD
University of Pittsburgh 3463 2100 3766 4600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA PA
University of Michigan 3418 2009 1327 190 Fiction, Poetry MFA MI
University of Florida 3400 5900 900 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA FL
Ohio University 3211 766 2433 6433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD OH
Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3100 850 6100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA IL
Vanderbilt University 3100 4433 1766 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA TN
University of California Irvine 3016 2350 850 183 Fiction, Poetry MFA CA
Brown University 2946 1869 869 330 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Multimedia MFA RI
University of Montana 2912 2100 3300 4433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MT
Virginia Tech 2766 100 3100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA VA
University of Southern Mississippi 2766 4100 900 0 Fiction, Poetry MA, PhD MS
University of Mississippi 2671 100 4350 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA MS
Cornell University 2655 1322 1100 433 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD NY
Brooklyn College 2600 3885 400 0 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MFA NY
Bowling Green State University 2600 3700 1500 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA OH
University of Oregon 2400 1200 1300 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA OR
University of Massachusetts Amherst 2350 1877 2700 2100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MA
University of Utah 2308 516 1308 1058 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD UT
University of New Mexico 2225 725 850 850 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NM
University of Wyoming 2211 1544 100 766 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WY
Florida International University 2200 2850 1350 2600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA FL
Hollins University 2183 1850 266 266 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
Colorado State University 2183 1600 183 850 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA CO
Vermont College of Fine Arts 2166 800 300 1400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MFA VT
University of Illinois 2100 1266 933 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA IL
Washington University St Louis 2100 1166 966 166 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MO
University of Alabama 2050 1050 1050 400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA AL
New York University 2033 950 1066 250 Fiction, Poetry MA, MFA NY
Western Michigan University 2016 1516 433 266 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD MI
University of Washington 2000 700 1100 400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
University of Alaska Fairbanks 1957 385 528 1242 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA AK
Northern Michigan University 1933 3100 5600 5600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MI
Bennington College 1880 940 360 780 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VT
University of Texas Austin 1814 1242 671 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA TX
University of New Hampshire 1742 1957 766 1600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NH
University of Nebraska Lincoln 1725 912 600 725 MA, PhD NE
University of Colorado 1725 2100 100 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CO
Louisiana State University 1725 3100 100 3600 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenwriting MFA LA
George Mason University 1638 1736 725 2528 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
American University 1600 1100 600 350 Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting MFA DC
University of South Carolina 1600 2350 850 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA SC
West Virginia University 1544 2433 100 2100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WV
California State University Fresno 1500 100 100 4766 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
Columbia University 1500 633 537 581 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
Florida Atlantic University 1475 1100 100 5100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA FL
University of Arkansas 1457 1028 528 171 Fiction, Poetry, Translation MFA AR
University of Miami 1433 1266 266 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA FL
Hunter College 1433 1211 100 322 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
Eastern Washington University 1415 1322 1933 850 Fiction, Poetry MFA WA
Texas State University 1400 1300 200 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA TX
Emerson College 1344 566 100 855 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA MA
University of New Orleans 1338 1900 957 600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA LA
Notre Dame University 1322 350 1900 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IN
Virginia Commonwealth University 1322 766 2350 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
University of Nevada Las Vegas 1266 1600 1350 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD NV
University of Missouri Columbia 1253 407 484 484 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD MO
Rutgers University Camden 1211 1100 100 2600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NJ
University of California Davis 1100 600 600 100 Fiction, Poetry MA CA
Western Washington University 1100 300 1600 2100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
San Francisco State University 1072 586 370 181 Fiction, Poetry MA, MFA CA
University of Central Florida 1028 814 314 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA FL
North Carolina State University 1028 385 1671 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NC
Butler University 1016 100 1766 2100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IN
University of California Riverside 988 433 488 266 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA CA
Miami University 975 2433 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
McNeese State University 975 850 225 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA LA
University of North Carolina Wilmington 963 281 100 781 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NC
Spalding University 963 1190 700 766 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting MA, MFA KY
Oregon State University 957 600 100 457 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OR
Boise State University 933 1766 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA ID
Western Kentucky University 933 933 100 933 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Screenwriting MFA KY
Texas Tech University 927 513 341 479 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD TX
Sarah Lawrence College 915 607 361 130 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
Northwestern University 900 500 100 500 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA IL
University of South Florida 877 2433 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Graphic Novel MFA FL
University of Denver 858 548 375 134 Fiction, Poetry, CNF PhD CO
Minnesota State University Mankato 822 488 100 433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MN
Iowa State University 800 600 600 800 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA IA
Brigham Young University 800 100 500 400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA UT
University of Southern Maine 795 300 528 2655 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Popular Fiction MFA ME
Georgia State University 766 766 100 366 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD GA
Georgia College and State University 725 1350 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA GA
New Mexico State University 700 700 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MA, MFA NM
Queens University of Charlotte 700 500 100 300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA NC
Ashland University 660 100 100 660 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
University of Georgia 617 617 100 203 Fiction, CNF MFA, PhD GA
University of Kansas 600 600 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MFA, PhD KS
University of Missouri St Louis 600 1100 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA MO
University of California San Diego 600 600 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA CA
Sam Houston State University 600 100 600 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA TX
Northern Arizona University 600 100 100 1600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA AZ
University of North Texas 588 344 166 344 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD TX
Pacific University 560 360 180 220 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OR
Antioch University 548 372 281 975 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MFA CA
Temple University 544 766 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA PA
Columbia College 544 100 100 461 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IL
Institute of American Indian Arts 533 366 100 266 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Screenwriting MFA NM
Sierra Nevada College 500 100 100 500 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NV
University of Tennessee 500 433 166 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD TN
Goucher College 500 100 100 500 CNF MFA MD
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 500 340 100 260 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IL
Queens College 500 900 100 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Translation MFA NY
Rutgers University Newark 475 412 162 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NJ
Pacific Lutheran University 450 100 250 300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
Southern New Hampshire University 444 272 100 272
Old Dominion University 433 700 1100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
Goddard College 433 133 266 233 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting, Graphic Novel MFA VT
Lasell University 433 100 1100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Graphic Novel MFA MA
University of San Francisco 423 100 100 423 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
Portland State University 420 300 220 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OR
Converse College 412 100 100 412 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA SC
University of Guelph 410 410 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA Ontario
Chicago State University 400 100 100 400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IL
NYU Writers Workshop in Paris 400 400 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NY
University of British Columbia 390 172 100 318 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting, Translation, Lyric and libretto, Radio drama, Graphic Novel MFA BC
Seattle Pacific University 377 100 100 377 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
SUNY Binghamton 375 134 341 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MA, PhD NY
New College of California 375 100 375 100 CA
California College of the Arts 366 366 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
California Institute of the Arts 350 150 250 150 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Multimedia MFA CA
Hamline University 320 100 200 220 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MFA MN
Penn State University 306 237 168 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA PA
Western Colorado University 306 100 306 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA CO
Regis University 306 100 100 306
Northeast Ohio Consortium 300 100 100 300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
New England College 300 100 300 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NH
Fairfield University 273 100 100 600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA CT
Rosemont College 272 100 100 272
Missouri State University 272 272 100 272 MA MO
University of Illinois at Chicago 266 166 133 166 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD IL
Stonybrook University 260 260 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 260 220 100 140 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD WI
St Mary's College of California 242 242 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
Oklahoma State University 240 450 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD OK
Chico State University 237 100 134 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA CA
Long Island University 237 100 237 100
Concordia University Montreal 237 237 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MA Québec
Bard College 237 100 237 100 Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia MFA NY
Ball State University 237 100 100 237
Lesley University 213 100 213 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting MFA MA
Minnesota State University Moorhead 203 203 100 100 MN
Rhode Island College 203 203 100 203 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA RI
Savannah College of Art and Design 183 100 100 183 CNF MFA GA
Texas A&M 168 168 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA TX
University of Akron 168 168 100 168
University of Central Oklahoma 166 100 100 166 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA OK
San Diego State University 150 150 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA CA
City College of New York 149 129 119 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NY
University of Windsor 134 134 100 100 MA Ontario
SUNY Brockport 134 100 134 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA NY
Western Connecticut State University 134 100 100 134 CT
San Jose State University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA CA
University of Louisiana Lafayette 100 100 100 100 MA, PhD LA
Chapman University 100 100 100 100 CS
University of Toronto 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MA ON
University of Memphis 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA TN
College of Charleston 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA SC
University of Hawaii 100 100 100 100 MA, PhD HI
University of California Berkeley 100 100 100 100 MA CA
Eastern Michigan University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA MI
University of Kentucky 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA KY
SUNY Albany 100 100 100 100 MA, PhD NY
Harvard Extension 100 100 100 100
University of Nevada Reno 100 100 100 100 NV
University of Nebraska Omaha 100 100 100 100 NE
Wichita State University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA KS
University of Saskatchewan 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA SK
Wilkes University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA PA
University of Missouri Kansas City 100 100 100 100 MFA MO
Rivier University 100 100 100 100
Lindenwood University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Screenwriting MFA MO
University of New Orleans Low Residency 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA LA
University of Connecticut 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MA, PhD CT
Creighton University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA NE
Fairleigh Dickinson University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Translation MFA NJ
Mississippi State University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MA MS
Naropa University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Translation MFA CO
Drew University 100 100 100 100 Poetry MFA NJ
University of New Brunswick 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MA, PhD New Brunswick
University of Texas El Paso 100 100 100 100 TX
University of Massachusetts Boston 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA MA

Lists of authors without graduate creative writing degrees or whose degree status is unknown are available. Send questions, comments and corrections to info@creativewritingmfa.info.

Disclaimer: No endorsement of these ratings should be implied by the writers and writing programs listed on this site, or by the editors and publishers of Best American Short Stories, Best American Essays, Best American Poetry, The O. Henry Prize Stories and The Pushcart Prize Anthology.