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Careers›Roles›Creative Writing English Professor
Mid-Level

Creative Writing English Professor

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction: you teach the craft of writing at the college level, running workshops, critiquing student work, and keeping your own writing alive. Writer and teacher, holding both at once.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
S
I
A
C
E
R
Socialhelping, teaching
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Creative Writing English Professors
Education · 100%
Job markets for Creative Writing English Professors
Where Creative Writing English Professor jobs concentrate · ~147 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Education
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Creative Writing English Professor

The week braids workshop teaching, reading manuscripts, conferences with students, and your own writing squeezed in around it. You give close, careful feedback, and critique that encourages without flattering is the core skill. Much of the craft is drawing better work out of a writer without imposing your own voice, across dozens of student pieces.

The harder reality is balancing teaching, service, and your own writing, often with the tenure or contract clock ticking. Academic creative-writing jobs are fiercely competitive, and your publishing and your teaching both get judged. Programs vary from MFA workshops to undergraduate courses, each weighting the work differently in what it asks.

It fits someone a serious writer, generous, and good at developing voices. If you resent time away from your own work or dislike academic life, the demands can strain you. But if you love both writing and teaching it, and the thrill of a student's breakthrough, the work tends to be deeply, if quietly, rewarding.

What people in this role value
RelationshipsHigh
AchievementHigh
Working ConditionsHigh
IndependenceAbove avg
RecognitionAbove avg
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns

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Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Financial Services$96K+59%
Energy & Utilities$92K+53%
Professional Services$91K+50%
Technology & Information$87K+44%
Wholesale & Distribution$66K+10%
Compared to Education average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Creative Writing English Professors (SOC 25-1123.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Education →
Creative Writing English ProfessorLanguage Arts TeacherEnglish TeacherEnglish InstructorEnglish AdjunctEtymology TeacherComposition TeacherLanguages InstructorLiterature ProfessorLiterature InstructorAdjunct English InstructorAdjunct Writing InstructorEnglish Adjunct InstructorEnglish Composition InstructorChildren's Literature ProfessorDevelopmental Reading InstructorMedieval English Literature ProfessorContemporary English Literature Professor

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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$48K–$155K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
60K
U.S. Employment
0%
10yr Growth
5K
Annual Openings

How Creative Writing English Professor pay & employment are changing

$74K$72K$69K$67K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Reading ComprehensionInstructingWritingSpeakingActive ListeningLearning StrategiesActive LearningCritical ThinkingMonitoringJudgment and Decision Making
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
25-1123.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midLanguage Arts Teacher$71KmidEnglish Teacher$66KmidEnglish Instructor$68KmidEnglish Adjunct$78KmidEtymology Teacher$78KmidComposition Teacher$78K
View all Education roles →

Common questions about what it's like to be a Creative Writing English Professor

What does a Creative Writing English Professor do?

Fiction, poetry, nonfiction: you teach the craft of writing at the college level, running workshops, critiquing student work, and keeping your own writing alive. Writer and teacher, holding both at once.

How much does a Creative Writing English Professor make?

Median pay for a Creative Writing English Professor is about $78K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $48K to $155K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does a Creative Writing English Professor need?

Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Instructing, Writing, Speaking, and Active Listening.

What education do you need to be a Creative Writing English Professor?

Most people in this role hold a professional degree.

Is a Creative Writing English Professor in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to grow about 0% through 2034, with roughly 59,590 people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to a Creative Writing English Professor?

Closely related roles include Language Arts Teacher, English Teacher, and English Instructor.

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.

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