Bessemer, Alabama has 2 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $8,832 to $27,826 per year for indexed programs. Bessemer has a population of about 25,655. Median household income is $37,844 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Birmingham, AL metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $108,220 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Bessemer
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Bessemer, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bessemer city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bessemer.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
88%
Graduation rate
63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,501
Avg net price
$18,749/yr
TuitionIn‑state$9,098
Out‑of‑state$22,562
Key stats- Retention rate: 81%
- Programs offered: 55
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
77%
Graduation rate
74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,221
Avg net price
$22,420/yr
TuitionIn‑state$12,180
Out‑of‑state$34,172
Key stats- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 45
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
46%
Graduation rate
81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$65,337
Avg net price
$24,323/yr
TuitionIn‑state$12,890
Out‑of‑state$34,922
Key stats- Retention rate: 94%
- Programs offered: 52
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $64,880 | Birmingham, AL | $70,830 |
| Management Analyst | $108,220 | Birmingham, AL | $118,144 |
| Technical Writer | $82,870 | Birmingham, AL | $90,469 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $47,260 | Birmingham, AL | $51,594 |
| Editor | $72,650 | Birmingham, AL | $79,312 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $71,040 | Birmingham, AL | $77,555 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $67,880 | Birmingham, AL | $74,105 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 25,655 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $37,844 | Census 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 County | 1,394 workers, 110 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Bessemer-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Hoover, AL – 9.5 mi away (84,978 pop)
- Homewood, AL – 11.3 mi away (25,613 pop)
- Pelham, AL – 13.0 mi away (23,050 pop)
- Alabaster, AL – 13.5 mi away (32,948 pop)
- Vestavia Hills, AL – 14.2 mi away (34,688 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Bessemer, AL?
Accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Bessemer are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Bessemer?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Bessemer are: Management Analyst ($108,220), Technical Writer ($82,870), Editor ($72,650). 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.
Learn More About Liberal Arts Programs
Other Programs Available in Bessemer
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bessemer:
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- Counseling programs in Bessemer, AL
Data verified: July 23, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; 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.
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