Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Colorado Springs, CO (2026)

Colorado Springs, Colorado has 2 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $4,030 to $16,210 per year for indexed programs. Colorado Springs has a population of about 483,099. Median household income is $83,198 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Colorado Springs, CO metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $117,850 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Colorado Springs

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Colorado Springs, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Colorado Springs 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:

  • 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 Colorado Springs. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Denver

Denver, CO 57.0 miles from Colorado Springs BOC Score 70.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,155
Avg net price $36,131/yr
Tuition
In‑state$61,398
Out‑of‑state$61,398
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Community College of Aurora

Aurora, CO 58.9 miles from Colorado Springs BOC Score 47.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,592
Avg net price $8,656/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,470
Out‑of‑state$17,070
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO 62.1 miles from Colorado Springs BOC Score 43.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,093
Avg net price $15,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Colorado School of Mines

Golden, CO 65.1 miles from Colorado Springs BOC Score 79.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 61%
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,335
Avg net price $28,690/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,914
Out‑of‑state$45,824
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO 119.0 miles from Colorado Springs BOC Score 69.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 89%
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,543
Avg net price $21,279/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,373
Out‑of‑state$34,783
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs is part of the Colorado Springs, CO metro area (BLS area code 17820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Colorado statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$75,550Colorado Springs, CO$75,025
Management Analyst$117,850Colorado Springs, CO$117,031
Technical Writer$96,100Colorado Springs, CO$95,432
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$60,600Colorado Springs, CO$60,179
Editor$75,590Colorado Springs, CO$75,065
Training and Development Specialist$66,560Colorado Springs, CO$66,097
Human Resources Specialist$79,000Colorado Springs, CO$78,451

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.


Colorado Springs at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population483,099Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$83,198Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+41.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)100.7 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in El Paso County1,433 workers, 209 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Colorado Springs-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Colorado Springs, CO?

Accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Colorado Springs 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 Colorado Springs?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Colorado Springs are: Management Analyst ($117,850), Technical Writer ($96,100), Human Resources Specialist ($79,000). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Colorado statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fountain instead of Colorado Springs?

Fountain, CO is 13.3 miles from Colorado Springs 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 Colorado Springs an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Colorado Springs’s median household income of $83,198 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Colorado Springs while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado 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 Colorado Springs

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Colorado Springs:

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.