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English & Literature · Rhetoric & Writing Rank #4 of 121

Rhetoric & Writingat Missouri State University-Springfield

Graduates earn $47,377/yr in their first year — about 60.0% above the national Rhetoric & Writing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $498K; scenarios range from $464K to $498K depending on AI disruption.

Springfield, MO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
47 AVERAGE
49
Optimistic
39
Pessimistic
Earnings
$47,377
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$498K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Missouri State University-Springfield

Missouri State's Rhetoric and Composition program truly stands out nationally, largely due to its strong emphasis on practical, applied writing skills. You'll find graduates excelling in critical communication roles across diverse sectors throughout the Midwest, from technical content creation in manufacturing and healthcare to strategic communications and editing for corporate and non-profit organizations. This success stems from the program's likely focus on professional applications and strong regional employer connections in Springfield, a hub for various industries.

While the data highlights a "Very High" AI risk for many writing-intensive careers, this isn't a deterrent but an opportunity. Your foundational skills in audience analysis, persuasion, and clarity become even more valuable in an AI-driven world. The key is to actively seek opportunities to integrate AI tools into your workflow, focusing on higher-level content strategy, prompt engineering, and critically evaluating AI-generated outputs. This strategic adaptation will position you as an indispensable asset.

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
$464K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score39/100
Earnings Multiple12.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$498K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple13.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$498K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score49/100
Earnings Multiple13.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Missouri State University-Springfield'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 Missouri State University-Springfield 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
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
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
AZ · Public
50
DW Score
$44K
1-yr earn
12.2x
ROI
Also at Missouri State University-Springfield

Other top programs at Missouri State University-Springfield

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Missouri State University-Springfield, 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 Missouri State University-Springfield

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Rhetoric & Writing at Missouri State University-Springfield?

A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Rhetoric & Writing. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Rhetoric & Writing careers?

With 62% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $464,115 in decade earnings vs $498,360 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes Missouri State University-Springfield's Rhetoric & Writing program stand out?

Ranked #4 of 121 programs nationally, Missouri State University-Springfield lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.