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English & Literature · Rhetoric & Writing Rank #90 of 121

Rhetoric & Writingat Hamilton College

Graduates earn $28,442/yr in their first year — about 4.0% below the national Rhetoric & Writing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $422K; scenarios range from $412K to $410K depending on AI disruption.

Clinton, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
20 AT RISK
20
Optimistic
15
Pessimistic
Earnings
$28,442
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.1x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$422K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Hamilton College

Don't let the initial earnings data for Rhetoric and Composition at Hamilton define your entire career outlook. While the immediate entry-level salaries in fields like technical writing or editing might track slightly below the national average for this specific major, Hamilton's reputation for rigorous critical thinking and unparalleled writing instruction is a significant long-term asset. Your education here emphasizes complex argumentation, persuasive communication, and analytical depth—skills that are foundational across *many* industries, not just those directly listed.

However, with the very high AI risk in these fields, your focus must be on strategic application of these skills. You'll need to leverage your Hamilton training to become a content strategist, a communications leader, or an expert in human-centered storytelling, rather than just an executor of writing tasks. Actively seek internships in diverse sectors like marketing, policy analysis, or even user experience to broaden your initial career pathways.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$412K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score15/100
Earnings Multiple1.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$422K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score20/100
Earnings Multiple1.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$410K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score20/100
Earnings Multiple1.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Hamilton College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Rhetoric & Writing graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Technical writers
+0.9% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$91,670/yr
Very High
2
Postsecondary teachers, all other
+1.8% 10-yr growth · 13,500 openings/yr
$78,490/yr
Low
3
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
0.0% 10-yr growth · 5,100 openings/yr
$78,270/yr
High
4
Editors
+0.6% 10-yr growth · 9,800 openings/yr
$75,260/yr
High
5
Writers and authors
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 13,400 openings/yr
$72,270/yr
Very High
6
Proofreaders and copy markers
-0.6% 10-yr growth · 1,900 openings/yr
$49,210/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Rhetoric & Writing

How Hamilton College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Wabash College
IN · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.6x
ROI
University of Utah
UT · Public
46
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
11.9x
ROI
Missouri State University-Springfield
MO · Public
47
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
12.9x
ROI
University of North Texas
TX · Public
47
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
11.6x
ROI
Top score
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
50
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
10.7x
ROI
Also at Hamilton College

Other top programs at Hamilton College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Hamilton College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Rhetoric & Writing offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Rhetoric & Writing trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Rhetoric & Writing at Hamilton College

How does Hamilton College's Rhetoric & Writing program score?

This program scores 20/100 — on the lower end for Rhetoric & Writing. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Rhetoric & Writing to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Rhetoric & Writing careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 62% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

How affordable is Rhetoric & Writing at Hamilton College after financial aid?

Sticker price is $262,960, but the average net cost is $113,256 — a 57% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.