Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Emporia, KS (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Emporia, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs. Emporia has a population of about 24,098. Median household income is $52,787 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $81,210 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Emporia

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Emporia. Distances are calculated from Emporia 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 Emporia. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Emporia

Occupation	Median Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist	$64,860
Management Analyst	$81,210
Technical Writer	$73,550
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist	$45,870
Editor	$61,920
Training and Development Specialist	$62,010
Human Resources Specialist	$70,870

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.

Emporia at a Glance

Metric	Value	Source
Population	24,098	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income	$52,787	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+	25.8%	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Emporia-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

Topeka, KS – 51.3 mi away (149,220 pop)
Junction City, KS – 55.8 mi away (40,157 pop)
Manhattan, KS – 58.7 mi away (57,442 pop)
Lawrence, KS – 63.2 mi away (95,800 pop)
Newton, KS – 67.9 mi away (20,625 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Emporia, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Emporia. The closest is Butler Community College in El Dorado, KS (55.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City (97.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles in Kansas are: Management Analyst ($81,210), Technical Writer ($73,550), Human Resources Specialist ($70,870). Wages for Emporia workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Topeka instead of Emporia?

Topeka, KS is 51.3 miles from Emporia 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 Emporia an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Emporia’s median household income of $52,787 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Emporia while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Emporia

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

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.

Back to Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Kansas (2026)

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