Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Los Angeles, CA (2026)
Los Angeles, California has a population of about 3,857,897. The city’s median household income is $80,366 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 112 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Los Angeles, with tuition ranging from $6,920 to $44,524 per year for indexed programs. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $107,470 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Los Angeles
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 112 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Los Angeles. Distances are calculated from Los Angeles city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 3.6 mi | $13,747 - $44,524 | – |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen, CA | 4.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Mount Saint Mary’s University | Los Angeles, CA | 4.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles, CA | 6.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Woodbury University | Burbank, CA | 7.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| World Mission University | Los Angeles, CA | 7.5 mi | $6,920 - $22,556 | – |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica, CA | 7.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City, CA | 7.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Diversified Vocational College | Los Angeles, CA | 8.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Antioch University-Los Angeles | Culver City, CA | 8.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Los Angeles
Los Angeles is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $77,380 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $68,116 |
| Management Analyst | $107,470 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $94,604 |
| Technical Writer | $100,440 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $88,415 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $89,620 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,891 |
| Editor | $90,570 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,727 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $73,350 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $64,569 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $79,330 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,833 |
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.
Los Angeles at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,857,897 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $80,366 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 37.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 113.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Liberal Arts-related employment in Los Angeles County | 56,719 workers, 18,615 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Los Angeles-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Beverly Hills, CA – 2.5 mi away (34,687 pop)
- West Hollywood, CA – 2.7 mi away (36,698 pop)
- Burbank, CA – 7.0 mi away (104,447 pop)
- Culver City, CA – 7.5 mi away (39,364 pop)
- Santa Monica, CA – 7.6 mi away (92,478 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Los Angeles, CA?
Our directory has 112 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Los Angeles. The closest is University of California-Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA (3.6 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Antioch University-Los Angeles (8.8 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Los Angeles?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Los Angeles are: Management Analyst ($107,470), Technical Writer ($100,440), Editor ($90,570). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Beverly Hills instead of Los Angeles?
Beverly Hills, CA is 2.5 miles from Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Los Angeles’s median household income of $80,366 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Los Angeles while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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.
Related Resources
- Online Liberal Arts Programs in California
- Main Liberal Arts Degree Guide
- Liberal Arts Programs by State
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.
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