Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Bessemer, AL (2026)

Bessemer, Alabama has a population of about 25,655. The city’s median household income is $37,844 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 36 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Bessemer, with tuition ranging from $8,832 to $38,385 per year for indexed programs. In the Birmingham, AL metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $96,100 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Bessemer

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 36 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Bessemer. Distances are calculated from Bessemer city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Lawson State Community CollegeBirmingham, AL7.3 miContact school for pricing
Miles CollegeFairfield, AL8.5 miContact school for pricing
Birmingham-Southern CollegeBirmingham, AL12.1 mi$22,750 - $38,385
Samford UniversityBirmingham, AL12.2 miContact school for pricing
University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL13.6 mi$8,832 - $27,826
University of MontevalloMontevallo, AL19.3 miContact school for pricing
Jefferson State Community CollegeBirmingham, AL24.7 miContact school for pricing
The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL35.0 mi$11,900 - $33,200
Bevill State Community CollegeJasper, AL36.4 miContact school for pricing
Stillman CollegeTuscaloosa, AL37.4 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama liberal arts page.


Liberal Arts Wages Near Bessemer

Bessemer is part of the Birmingham, AL metro area (BLS area code 13820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$62,110Birmingham, AL$67,806
Management Analyst$96,100Birmingham, AL$104,913
Technical Writer$76,150Birmingham, AL$83,133
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$45,320Birmingham, AL$49,476
Editor$55,660Birmingham, AL$60,764
Training and Development Specialist$68,430Birmingham, AL$74,705
Human Resources Specialist$65,070Birmingham, AL$71,037

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Bessemer at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,655Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$37,844Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+14.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in Jefferson County1,394 workers, 110 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Bessemer-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Bessemer, AL?

Our directory has 36 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Bessemer. The closest is Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, AL (7.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Stillman College (37.4 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Bessemer?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Bessemer are: Management Analyst ($96,100), Technical Writer ($76,150), Training and Development Specialist ($68,430). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hoover instead of Bessemer?

Hoover, AL is 9.5 miles from Bessemer and has its own set of local liberal arts programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bessemer an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Bessemer’s median household income of $37,844 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bessemer while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Alabama public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.