Rhetoric & Writing at The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
47 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
48
Optimistic
47
Base Case
40
Pessimistic
Earnings $37,883/yr (28% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (62% exposed)
Job Market Large (48,200 openings/yr)
ROI 13.1x earnings multiple (5.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #6 of 121 Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies programs Top 5%

Program Analysis

The strong performance of UT Arlington's Rhetoric and Composition program reflects its strategic location within the booming Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. This region is a major hub for defense, aerospace, tech, and healthcare, all sectors with high demand for skilled communicators and technical writers who can translate complex information into clear, usable content. Your education here likely provides a practical grounding, preparing you to step directly into these corporate and industrial roles right in your backyard, feeding into established recruiting pipelines with companies like Lockheed Martin or Texas Instruments. While the data flags a very high AI risk, this isn't a death knell for the field, but a transformation. AI tools are becoming powerful assistants, handling repetitive tasks. This means your value will increasingly lie in human-centric skills: critical thinking, content strategy, ethical communication, audience analysis, and prompt engineering to guide AI effectively. Focus on internships that expose you to real-world content workflows and emerging AI integration to build an indispensable skillset.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Rhetoric & Writing graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $632K $612K $543K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 13.5x 13.1x 11.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.3x 5.2x 4.6x
Probability of Field Employment 49% 42% 29%
DegreeOutlook Score 48 47 40

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$46,912
Out-of-state: $118,640 (5.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$60,940
-30% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,917
4.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$66,592
76% growth from Year 1

About The University of Texas at Arlington

With 81% of applicants admitted, The University of Texas at Arlington prioritizes broad access, serving a student body of 30,834 in Arlington, TX.

See all programs and financial aid at The University of Texas at Arlington →

Top Career Paths

Technical writers $91,670/yr
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490/yr
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary $78,270/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does The University of Texas at Arlington's Rhetoric & Writing program score?
This program scores 47/100 — 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.
Why does The University of Texas at Arlington rank so high for Rhetoric & Writing?
The #6 ranking out of 121 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →