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

Saginaw, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs. Saginaw has a population of about 43,879. Median household income is $37,298 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Saginaw, MI metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $91,100 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Saginaw

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Saginaw. Distances are calculated from Saginaw city center.

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

#1

Mott Community College

Flint, MI 31.1 miles from Saginaw BOC Score38.0
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Online programsYes

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#2

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 42.8 miles from Saginaw BOC Score60.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 54.3 miles from Saginaw BOC Score80.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Walsh College

Troy, MI 71.2 miles from Saginaw BOC Score80.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 78.9 miles from Saginaw BOC Score64.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Saginaw

Saginaw is part of the Saginaw, MI metro area (BLS area code 40980). 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$63,940Saginaw, MI$70,341
Management Analyst$91,100Saginaw, MI$100,220
Technical Writer$85,270MI statewide$93,806
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$62,760MI statewide$69,043
Editor$63,090MI statewide$69,406
Training and Development Specialist$61,130Saginaw, MI$67,250
Human Resources Specialist$66,060Saginaw, MI$72,673

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.


Saginaw at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population43,879Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$37,298Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+11.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in Saginaw County151 workers, 18 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Saginaw-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Saginaw. The closest is Mott Community College in Flint, MI (31.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ferris State University (78.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Saginaw are: Management Analyst ($91,100), Technical Writer ($85,270), Human Resources Specialist ($66,060). 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 Bay City instead of Saginaw?

Bay City, MI is 12.2 miles from Saginaw 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 Saginaw an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Saginaw’s median household income of $37,298 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saginaw 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 Saginaw

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

Data verified: June 11, 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.