by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Playwriting & Screenwriting covers Playwriting And Screenwriting. A Program That Focuses On The Principles And Techniques For Communicating Dramatic Information, Ideas, Moods, And Feelings Through The Composition Of Creative Written Works For The Theatre, Film, And/or Television. Includes Instruction In Creative Writing Craft, Scene Writing, Script Development, Stage And/or Camera Instructions, Line And Moment Analysis, Script Reading, Script Editing, And The Creation Of Full Productions. Examples: [Dramatic Writing], [Writing For Screen And Television]. Continue reading for the key facts every playwriting & screenwriting major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering playwriting & screenwriting programs.
In the U.S., playwriting & screenwriting is a popular field of study, with 863 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools ranking analyzes these 52 schools to determine the best overall colleges for playwriting & screenwriting students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of playwriting & screenwriting programs later in this article.
Coursework for Playwriting & Screenwriting build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations playwriting & screenwriting graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a playwriting & screenwriting program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a playwriting & screenwriting major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several playwriting & screenwriting degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 63 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 474 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 324 |
People currently working in careers related to playwriting & screenwriting tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 39.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 23.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 20.2% |
| Some college courses | 7.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.5% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in playwriting & screenwriting careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying playwriting & screenwriting prepares you for many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to playwriting & screenwriting.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to playwriting & screenwriting.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | 175,767 | 9.1% |
| Writers and Authors | 155,629 | -4.3% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of playwriting & screenwriting graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $21,253 |
| 4 years | $29,200 |
| 5 years | $33,047 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for playwriting & screenwriting graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers playwriting & screenwriting grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | $70,619 |
| Writers and Authors | $63,195 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
With 52 different playwriting & screenwriting programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased playwriting & screenwriting school rankings to help you.
Those considering playwriting & screenwriting, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 10,778 |
| Acting | 1,859 |
| Musical Theatre | 1,157 |
| Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 1,087 |
| Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other | 437 |
| Directing and Theatrical Production | 213 |
| Theatre and Dance | 122 |
| Costume Design | 64 |
| Comedy Writing and Performance | 35 |
| Theatre Literature, History and Criticism | 25 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
