Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Muskegon, MI (2026)

Muskegon, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs. Muskegon has a population of about 37,203. Median household income is $46,342 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $88,610 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Muskegon

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Muskegon, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Muskegon city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Muskegon. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 26.0 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 65.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Aquinas College

Grand Rapids, MI 36.5 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 46.8
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,584
Avg net price $16,626/yr
Tuition
In‑state$40,218
Out‑of‑state$40,218
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Davenport University

Grand Rapids, MI 45.0 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 44.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,099
Avg net price $17,707/yr
Tuition
In‑state$24,466
Out‑of‑state$24,466
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 49.9 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 64.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,735
Avg net price $8,624/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 73.0 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 63.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 78.3 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 60.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, MI 87.1 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 70.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,187
Avg net price $12,547/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,056
Out‑of‑state$35,056
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 96.5 miles from Muskegon BOC Score 80.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Muskegon

Muskegon is part of the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area (BLS area code 34740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$58,460Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI$63,200
Management Analyst$88,610Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI$95,795
Technical Writer$85,270MI statewide$92,184
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$62,760MI statewide$67,849
Editor$63,090MI statewide$68,205
Training and Development Specialist$60,300Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI$65,189
Human Resources Specialist$67,410Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI$72,876

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.


Muskegon at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population37,203Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$46,342Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+15.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in Muskegon County119 workers, 13 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Muskegon-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Muskegon, MI?

Accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Muskegon are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Muskegon are: Management Analyst ($88,610), Technical Writer ($85,270), Human Resources Specialist ($67,410). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Norton Shores instead of Muskegon?

Norton Shores, MI is 4.6 miles from Muskegon 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 Muskegon an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Muskegon’s median household income of $46,342 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Muskegon while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Muskegon

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

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.