Fridley, Minnesota has a population of about 29,944. The city’s median household income is $79,274 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 47 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Fridley, with tuition ranging from $5,682 to $16,110 per year for indexed programs. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $97,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 47 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Fridley. Distances are calculated from Fridley city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel University | Saint Paul, MN | 5.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of Northwestern-St Paul | Saint Paul, MN | 5.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park, MN | 5.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Hennepin Technical College | Brooklyn Park, MN | 6.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Walden University | Minneapolis, MN | 7.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | ✓ |
| Capella University | Minneapolis, MN | 7.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | ✓ |
| Anoka-Ramsey Community College | Coon Rapids, MN | 7.6 mi | $5,682 - $16,110 | – |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | 7.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Minneapolis, MN | 7.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Bethlehem College & Seminary | Minneapolis, MN | 8.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Minnesota schools on the Minnesota liberal arts page.
Fridley is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (BLS area code 33460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $67,230 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $64,151 |
| Management Analyst | $97,390 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $92,929 |
| Technical Writer | $77,760 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $74,198 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $46,910 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $44,761 |
| Editor | $56,160 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $53,588 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $78,760 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $75,153 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $78,960 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $75,344 |
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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,944 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $79,274 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 30.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 104.8 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Liberal Arts-related employment in Anoka County | 753 workers, 49 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory has 47 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Fridley. The closest is Bethel University in Saint Paul, MN (5.1 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Bethlehem College & Seminary (8.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Fridley are: Management Analyst ($97,390), Human Resources Specialist ($78,960), Training and Development Specialist ($78,760). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
New Brighton, MN is 2.9 miles from Fridley 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.
Fridley’s median household income of $79,274 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fridley while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
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.
Return to Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Minnesota (2026)