Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Saint Cloud, MN (2026)

Saint Cloud, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs. Saint Cloud has a population of about 69,926. Median household income is $61,112 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the St. Cloud, MN metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $94,590 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Saint Cloud

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Saint Cloud. Distances are calculated from Saint Cloud 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 Saint Cloud. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN 1.4 miles from Saint Cloud BOC Score54.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 59.7 miles from Saint Cloud BOC Score83.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 62.8 miles from Saint Cloud BOC Score73.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Concordia University-Saint Paul

Saint Paul, MN 63.7 miles from Saint Cloud BOC Score58.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN 67.3 miles from Saint Cloud BOC Score52.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Saint Cloud

Saint Cloud is part of the St. Cloud, MN metro area (BLS area code 41060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$59,750St. Cloud, MN$68,208
Management Analyst$94,590St. Cloud, MN$107,979
Technical Writer$83,270MN statewide$95,057
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$46,490MN statewide$53,071
Editor$47,400St. Cloud, MN$54,110
Training and Development Specialist$72,160St. Cloud, MN$82,374
Human Resources Specialist$74,710St. Cloud, MN$85,285

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.


Saint Cloud at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population69,926Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,112Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)87.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in Stearns County135 workers, 22 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Saint Cloud-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Saint Cloud, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Saint Cloud. The closest is Saint Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, MN (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Century College (67.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Saint Cloud?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Saint Cloud are: Management Analyst ($94,590), Technical Writer ($83,270), Human Resources Specialist ($74,710). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Monticello instead of Saint Cloud?

Monticello, MN is 24.4 miles from Saint Cloud 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 Saint Cloud an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Saint Cloud’s median household income of $61,112 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saint Cloud while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Saint Cloud

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

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.