creativewritingmfa.info – rankings (2019)

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 11475 10600 9350 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA MD
Ohio State University 9330 10100 7100 12100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
Indiana University 9225 10350 8100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA IN
University of Virginia 8700 9100 8300 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA VA
Iowa Writers Workshop 8522 10700 4700 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA IA
University of Arizona 7350 8350 2850 10600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA AZ
University of Texas, James Michener Center 7350 5850 2183 183 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenwriting MFA TX
University of Cincinnati 6988 9850 4350 6100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF PhD OH
Florida State University 6850 2600 3350 1100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA, PhD FL
Syracuse University 5683 7766 2100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NY
Purdue University 5600 3850 1850 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA IN
University of Houston 5600 3100 1975 1412 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD TX
University of Iowa 5600 100 100 5600 CNF MFA, PhD IA
University of North Carolina Greensboro 5300 6500 4100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NC
University of Minnesota 5266 5600 3350 6850 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MN
University of Wisconsin Madison 4766 4100 766 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA WI
Boston University 4711 5200 3475 0 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MFA MA
Arizona State University 4600 3475 1225 475 Fiction, Poetry MFA AZ
University of Pittsburgh 4500 3100 2100 9100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA PA
University of Southern California 4433 6100 2766 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF PhD CA
University of Michigan 4372 2781 1600 190 Fiction, Poetry MFA MI
Warren Wilson College 4366 3877 5100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NC
University of Idaho 4100 1766 4433 6100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA ID
Ohio University 3975 1433 5100 5766 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD OH
University of California Irvine 3933 2683 1433 183 Fiction, Poetry MFA CA
University of Florida 3645 6300 1433 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA FL
Vanderbilt University 3266 4433 2100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA TN
Bowling Green State University 3200 4100 2300 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA OH
University of Montana 3100 2814 2300 5100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MT
Brown University 3100 1946 946 407 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Multimedia MFA RI
Cornell University 3044 1822 988 433 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD NY
University of Southern Mississippi 2918 3814 1350 0 Fiction, Poetry MA, PhD MS
University of New Mexico 2850 850 850 1350 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NM
University of Maryland, College Park 2725 475 2100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA MD
University of Massachusetts Amherst 2700 2544 2400 5100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MA
Florida International University 2655 3350 1766 2600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA FL
University of Oregon 2600 1400 1300 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA OR
Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2600 1350 3850 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA IL
Brooklyn College 2578 4176 300 0 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MFA NY
University of Nebraska Lincoln 2475 1600 600 725 MA, PhD NE
University of Mississippi 2475 100 4600 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA MS
Notre Dame University 2350 2100 2350 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IN
Washington University St Louis 2300 1300 1100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MO
Northern Michigan University 2266 5100 3100 4600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MI
Vermont College of Fine Arts 2250 666 366 1566 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MFA VT
University of Colorado 2225 2500 100 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CO
Bennington College 2180 1100 320 960 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VT
New York University 2150 1016 1050 316 Fiction, Poetry MA, MFA NY
Virginia Commonwealth University 2100 766 4766 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
University of Utah 2058 558 1058 1058 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD UT
Hollins University 2016 1600 350 350 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
Western Michigan University 2016 1100 850 266 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD MI
Iowa State University 2000 1200 600 1400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA IA
University of Washington 2000 700 1100 400 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
University of Alabama 1900 800 650 750 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA AL
University of Miami 1766 1600 266 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA FL
Virginia Tech 1766 100 1300 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA VA
Louisiana State University 1766 2600 850 2433 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenwriting MFA LA
University of New Hampshire 1700 2100 766 1300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NH
Colorado State University 1683 1100 183 600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA CO
McNeese State University 1600 1475 225 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA LA
University of South Carolina 1600 3100 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA SC
Columbia University 1581 774 551 462 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
University of Wyoming 1544 1544 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WY
University of Arkansas 1528 1242 385 171 Fiction, Poetry, Translation MFA AR
University of Nevada Las Vegas 1463 1766 1350 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA, PhD NV
Boise State University 1433 2766 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA ID
West Virginia University 1433 1100 1100 2100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WV
University of Missouri Columbia 1407 510 612 356 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD MO
Spalding University 1404 957 850 3100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting MA, MFA KY
University of Alaska Fairbanks 1385 385 528 671 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA AK
California State University Fresno 1372 100 100 3600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
University of California Davis 1350 766 683 100 Fiction, Poetry MA CA
Emerson College 1344 544 100 855 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA MA
George Mason University 1340 1266 725 2500 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
University of New Orleans 1340 1683 850 1100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA LA
Hunter College 1322 988 100 433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
Texas State University 1300 1200 200 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA TX
San Francisco State University 1289 748 370 289 Fiction, Poetry MA, MFA CA
University of Illinois 1266 1266 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA IL
University of Texas Austin 1242 671 671 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA TX
Oregon State University 1242 600 100 742 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OR
Eastern Washington University 1211 1475 957 1100 Fiction, Poetry MFA WA
American University 1100 433 683 266 Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting MFA DC
Texas Tech University 1100 513 341 651 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD TX
Western Kentucky University 1100 1100 100 1100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Screenwriting MFA KY
Western Washington University 1100 350 1600 1766 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
Butler University 1016 100 1766 3100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IN
University of Missouri St Louis 1000 1900 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA MO
New Mexico State University 1000 1000 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MA, MFA NM
Brigham Young University 1000 100 600 500 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA UT
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
Florida Atlantic University 957 1300 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA FL
Sarah Lawrence College 946 546 423 192 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
University of Toronto 933 100 100 272 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MA ON
Rutgers University Camden 933 933 100 1766 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NJ
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 Southern Maine 839 100 1100 3433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Popular Fiction MFA ME
Queens University of Charlotte 833 633 100 300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA NC
University of North Carolina Wilmington 827 100 100 827 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NC
Minnesota State University Mankato 822 488 100 433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA MN
Rutgers University Newark 787 725 162 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NJ
University of Denver 755 548 272 134 Fiction, Poetry, CNF PhD CO
Pacific Lutheran University 750 175 200 575 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
University of California San Diego 725 725 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA CA
Ashland University 700 100 100 500 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
Georgia College and State University 700 1350 100 433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA GA
Temple University 671 1100 100 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA PA
University of Central Florida 671 457 314 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA FL
North Carolina State University 671 528 814 0 Fiction, Poetry MFA NC
Georgia State University 633 633 100 366 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD GA
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
Sam Houston State University 600 100 600 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA TX
University of Tennessee 566 366 300 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA, PhD TN
Queens College 544 1100 100 0 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Translation MFA NY
Lasell University 544 100 2100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Graphic Novel MFA MA
Institute of American Indian Arts 533 333 100 300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Screenwriting MFA NM
Pacific University 520 300 180 240 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OR
Antioch University 520 273 372 975 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MFA CA
Sierra Nevada College 500 100 100 500 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NV
Goucher College 500 100 100 500 CNF MFA MD
SUNY Binghamton 479 203 410 134 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MA, PhD NY
University of North Texas 477 233 166 366 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD TX
Converse College 475 100 100 475 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA SC
Columbia College 461 127 100 350 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IL
Seattle Pacific University 433 100 100 433 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA WA
Old Dominion University 433 700 1600 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA VA
Goddard College 433 133 266 233 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting, Graphic Novel MFA VT
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 Wisconsin Milwaukee 400 220 220 160 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD WI
California Institute of the Arts 400 150 250 200 Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Multimedia MFA CA
University of Illinois at Chicago 400 233 200 166 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, PhD IL
University of British Columbia 390 172 100 318 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting, Translation, Lyric and libretto, Radio drama, Graphic Novel MFA BC
New College of California 375 100 375 100 CA
Penn State University 341 237 168 134 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA PA
Hamline University 340 100 220 220 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA MFA MN
Fairleigh Dickinson University 340 180 180 340 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Translation MFA NJ
Portland State University 340 340 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OR
Northern Arizona University 330 100 100 1100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA AZ
University of Louisiana Lafayette 306 100 100 306 MA, PhD LA
Western Colorado University 306 100 306 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA CO
Wichita State University 300 300 100 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA KS
Northeast Ohio Consortium 300 100 100 300 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA OH
New England College 300 100 300 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NH
University of San Francisco 276 100 100 276 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
Fairfield University 273 100 100 600 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA CT
Southern New Hampshire University 272 272 100 100
Concordia University Montreal 272 272 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MA Québec
Missouri State University 272 272 100 272 MA MO
Bard College 272 100 272 100 Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia MFA NY
Ball State University 272 100 100 272
Stonybrook University 260 260 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA NY
University of Saskatchewan 242 100 100 242 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA SK
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
University of Guelph 237 237 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA Ontario
Chico State University 237 100 134 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama MFA CA
Long Island University 237 100 237 100
Mississippi State University 237 100 237 100 Fiction, Poetry MA MS
City College of New York 227 188 139 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA NY
Minnesota State University Moorhead 203 203 100 100 MN
Rhode Island College 203 203 100 203 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA RI
University of New Brunswick 203 203 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, Drama MA, PhD New Brunswick
San Diego State University 200 150 150 100 Fiction, Poetry MFA CA
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 180 140 100 140 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA IL
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
California College of the Arts 166 166 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MFA CA
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
Wilkes University 112 100 100 112 Fiction, Poetry, CNF MA, MFA PA
San Jose State University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Drama, Screenwriting MFA CA
Chapman University 100 100 100 100 CS
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
Rosemont College 100 100 100 100
Regis University 100 100 100 100
Lesley University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, CYA, Drama, Screenwriting MFA MA
University of Nevada Reno 100 100 100 100 NV
University of Nebraska Omaha 100 100 100 100 NE
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
Savannah College of Art and Design 100 100 100 100 CNF MFA GA
Naropa University 100 100 100 100 Fiction, Poetry, CNF, Translation MFA CO
Drew University 100 100 100 100 Poetry MFA NJ
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.