University of Iowa
Published tuition$10,964 - $32,927
Online programsYes
Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Iowa City, IA (2026)
Iowa City, Iowa has 2 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $10,964 to $48,380 per year for indexed programs. Iowa City has a population of about 75,264. Median household income is $57,533 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 60.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Iowa City, IA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $84,100 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Iowa City
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Iowa City. Distances are calculated from Iowa City city center.
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 Iowa City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Loras College
Published tuition$38,298 - $48,380
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Iowa City
Iowa City is part of the Iowa City, IA metro area (BLS area code 26980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $64,170 | Iowa City, IA | $70,131 |
| Management Analyst | $84,100 | Iowa City, IA | $91,913 |
| Technical Writer | $66,520 | IA statewide | $72,699 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $43,540 | IA statewide | $47,585 |
| Editor | $63,440 | Iowa City, IA | $69,333 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $64,650 | Iowa City, IA | $70,656 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $71,120 | Iowa City, IA | $77,727 |
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.
Iowa City at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 75,264 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $57,533 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 60.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.5 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Iowa City-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Coralville, IA – 4.5 mi away (20,397 pop)
- Cedar Rapids, IA – 22.8 mi away (184,610 pop)
- Marion, IA – 27.0 mi away (38,480 pop)
- Muscatine, IA – 29.0 mi away (26,481 pop)
- Davenport, IA – 48.3 mi away (288,233 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Iowa City, IA?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Iowa City. The closest is University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA (1.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loras College (73.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Iowa City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Iowa City are: Management Analyst ($84,100), Human Resources Specialist ($71,120), Technical Writer ($66,520). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Coralville instead of Iowa City?
Coralville, IA is 4.5 miles from Iowa City 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 Iowa City an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Iowa City’s median household income of $57,533 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Iowa City 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
- Liberal Arts accreditation: what to look for
- Liberal Arts concentrations and specializations
- Is a Liberal Arts degree worth it?
- Main Liberal Arts degree guide
- Online Liberal Arts programs in Iowa
- Liberal Arts programs by state
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Data verified: June 11, 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.