Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Hastings, NE (2026)

Hastings, Nebraska has 1 accredited school offering liberal arts programs. Hastings has a population of about 25,005. Median household income is $61,202 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Nebraska, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $75,360 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Hastings

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Hastings, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hastings 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 Hastings. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE 89.9 miles from Hastings BOC Score 69.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,887
Avg net price $17,747/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, NE 92.9 miles from Hastings BOC Score 61.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,405
Avg net price $18,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, NE 131.6 miles from Hastings BOC Score 65.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,338
Avg net price $16,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Bellevue University

Bellevue, NE 134.7 miles from Hastings BOC Score 50.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,289
Avg net price $17,550/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,903
Out‑of‑state$9,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Metropolitan Community College Area

Omaha, NE 136.0 miles from Hastings BOC Score 46.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,773
Avg net price $4,982/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Hastings

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$61,780
Management Analyst$75,360
Technical WriterN/A
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$40,420
Editor$46,320
Training and Development Specialist$65,700
Human Resources Specialist$61,930

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.


Hastings at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,005Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,202Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Liberal Arts-related employment in Adams County36 workers, 6 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Hastings-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Hastings, NE?

Accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Hastings 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 in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles in Nebraska are: Management Analyst ($75,360), Training and Development Specialist ($65,700), Human Resources Specialist ($61,930). Wages for Hastings workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Grand Island instead of Hastings?

Grand Island, NE is 22.5 miles from Hastings 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 Hastings an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Hastings’s median household income of $61,202 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hastings while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska 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 Hastings

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

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.