University of Iowa
Published tuition$10,964 - $32,927
Online programsYes
Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Marion, IA (2026)
Marion, Iowa has 2 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $10,964 to $48,380 per year for indexed programs. Marion has a population of about 41,690. Median household income is $87,105 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 39.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cedar Rapids, IA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $96,670 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Marion
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Marion. Distances are calculated from Marion 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 Marion. 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 Marion
Marion is part of the Cedar Rapids, IA metro area (BLS area code 16300). 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 | $64,620 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $72,607 |
| Management Analyst | $96,670 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $108,618 |
| Technical Writer | $69,410 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $77,989 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $48,990 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $55,045 |
| Editor | $61,880 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $69,528 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $72,120 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $81,034 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $63,070 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $70,865 |
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.
Marion at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,690 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $87,105 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 39.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Liberal Arts-related employment in Linn County | 695 workers, 43 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Marion-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Cedar Rapids, IA – 7.2 mi away (184,610 pop)
- Coralville, IA – 23.9 mi away (20,397 pop)
- Iowa City, IA – 27.0 mi away (116,891 pop)
- Waterloo, IA – 49.9 mi away (112,635 pop)
- Muscatine, IA – 50.8 mi away (26,481 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Marion, IA?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Marion. The closest is University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA (28.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loras College (56.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Marion?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Marion are: Management Analyst ($96,670), Training and Development Specialist ($72,120), Technical Writer ($69,410). 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 Cedar Rapids instead of Marion?
Cedar Rapids, IA is 7.2 miles from Marion 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 Marion an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Marion’s median household income of $87,105 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Marion 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.