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Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Paducah, KY (2026)
Paducah, Kentucky is home to about 26,894 residents. Median household income is $51,243 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Paducah, KY-IL metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $96,080 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Paducah
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Paducah, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Paducah city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No Paducah-area programs are currently indexed in our directory.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kentucky schools on the Kentucky liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Paducah
Paducah is part of the Paducah, KY-IL metro area (BLS area code 37140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $50,500 | Paducah, KY-IL | $58,653 |
| Management Analyst | $96,080 | Paducah, KY-IL | $111,591 |
| Technical Writer | $81,070 | KY statewide | $94,158 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $47,530 | KY statewide | $55,203 |
| Editor | $59,430 | KY statewide | $69,024 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $65,260 | Paducah, KY-IL | $75,796 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $64,500 | Paducah, KY-IL | $74,913 |
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.
Paducah at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,894 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $51,243 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 28.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 86.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Paducah-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Murray, KY – 36.2 mi away (20,431 pop)
- Cape Girardeau, MO – 53.1 mi away (55,253 pop)
- Carbondale, IL – 55.1 mi away (68,540 pop)
- Madisonville, KY – 65.5 mi away (24,565 pop)
- Hopkinsville, KY – 66.3 mi away (32,733 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Paducah?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Paducah are: Management Analyst ($96,080), Technical Writer ($81,070), Training and Development Specialist ($65,260). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Murray instead of Paducah?
Murray, KY is 36.2 miles from Paducah 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 Paducah an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Paducah’s median household income of $51,243 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paducah while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Kentucky
- Liberal Arts programs by state
Other Programs Available in Paducah
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Paducah:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
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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.
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