Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Somerville, MA (2026)

Somerville, Massachusetts has a population of about 80,549. The city’s median household income is $127,056 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 68.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited liberal arts programs within 100 miles of Somerville, with tuition ranging from $45,380 to $84,600 per year. In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $134,580 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Somerville

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer liberal arts programs. Distances are calculated from Somerville city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA1.4 miContact school for pricing
Tufts UniversityMedford, MA1.9 mi$67,844 - $84,600
Bunker Hill Community CollegeBoston, MA1.9 miContact school for pricing
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA2.2 miContact school for pricing
Suffolk UniversityBoston, MA3.1 mi$45,380 - $62,822

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Somerville

Somerville is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (BLS area code 14460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$76,680Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$70,803
Management Analyst$134,580Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$124,266
Technical Writer$103,960Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$95,993
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$61,140Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$56,454
Editor$79,370Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$73,287
Training and Development Specialist$77,750Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$71,791
Human Resources Specialist$83,930Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$77,498

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.


Somerville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population80,549Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$127,056Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+68.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in Middlesex County1,894 workers, 327 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Somerville-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts programs are near Somerville, MA?

Our directory lists 5 liberal arts programs within 100 miles of Somerville. The closest is Harvard University in Cambridge, MA (1.4 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Suffolk University (3.1 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Somerville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Somerville are: Management Analyst ($134,580), Technical Writer ($103,960), Human Resources Specialist ($83,930). 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 Cambridge instead of Somerville?

Cambridge, MA is 1.4 miles from Somerville 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 Somerville an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Somerville’s median household income of $127,056 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Somerville 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.