Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in New Bedford, MA (2026)

New Bedford, Massachusetts has a population of about 100,731. The city’s median household income is $56,025 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 109 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near New Bedford, with tuition ranging from $15,208 to $76,819 per year for indexed programs. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Technical Writer at a median $100,580 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to New Bedford

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 109 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near New Bedford. Distances are calculated from New Bedford city center.

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near New Bedford

New Bedford is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (BLS area code 39300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.

New Bedford at a Glance

Other New Bedford-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• Fall River, MA – 8.7 mi away (88,930 pop)
• Taunton, MA – 17.9 mi away (56,843 pop)
• East Providence, RI – 23.3 mi away (47,337 pop)
• Newport, RI – 23.5 mi away (24,779 pop)
• Warwick, RI – 25.4 mi away (81,579 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near New Bedford, MA?

Our directory has 109 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near New Bedford. The closest is University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in North Dartmouth, MA (4.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Johnson & Wales University-Online (26.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near New Bedford?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near New Bedford are: Technical Writer ($100,580), Management Analyst ($93,320), Public Relations Specialist ($71,840). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fall River instead of New Bedford?

Fall River, MA is 8.7 miles from New Bedford 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 New Bedford an affordable place to study liberal arts?

New Bedford’s median household income of $56,025 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in New Bedford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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.

Related Resources

• Online Liberal Arts Programs in Massachusetts
• Main Liberal Arts Degree Guide
• Liberal Arts Programs by State

Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.