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Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Hays, KS (2026)
Hays, Kansas is home to about 21,078 residents. Median household income is $56,861 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.9% 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 Hays
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Hays, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hays city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No Hays-area programs are currently indexed in our directory.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kansas schools on the Kansas liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Hays
| 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.
Hays at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,078 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $56,861 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 43.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Hays-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Dodge City, KS – 86.1 mi away (27,429 pop)
- Salina, KS – 91.9 mi away (47,123 pop)
- Hutchinson, KS – 94.9 mi away (43,507 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Hays workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Dodge City instead of Hays?
Dodge City, KS is 86.1 miles from Hays 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 Hays an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Hays’s median household income of $56,861 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hays 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
- 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 Kansas
- Liberal Arts programs by state
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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.