Best Liberal Arts Schools Near Burlington, IA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Burlington, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $6,420 to $68,134 per year for indexed programs. Burlington has a population of about 23,800. Median household income is $55,274 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $85,530 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Burlington

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Burlington, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Burlington 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 Burlington. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Maharishi International University

Fairfield, IA 46.3 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $27,981
Avg net price $14,956/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport, IA 57.5 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
58.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,483
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 58.1 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 62.8 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 199

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, IA 78.7 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,460
Avg net price $23,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 86.2 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
52.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,125
Avg net price $18,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

William Penn University

Oskaloosa, IA 86.6 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,936
Avg net price $22,601/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 86.9 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Burlington

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist $62,970
Management Analyst $85,530
Technical Writer $66,520
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist $43,540
Editor $57,200
Training and Development Specialist $66,110
Human Resources Specialist $66,710

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.

Burlington at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,800 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,274 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Burlington-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Burlington, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Burlington. The closest is Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, IA (2.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Knox College (40.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles in Iowa are: Management Analyst ($85,530), Human Resources Specialist ($66,710), Technical Writer ($66,520). Wages for Burlington workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Galesburg instead of Burlington?

Galesburg, IL is 40.3 miles from Burlington 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 Burlington an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Burlington’s median household income of $55,274 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Burlington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Burlington

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Liberal Arts Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)