Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Manhattan, NY (2026)

Manhattan, New York has a population of about 1,643,734. Our directory has 199 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Manhattan. In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $110,950 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Manhattan

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 199 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Manhattan. Distances are calculated from Manhattan city center.

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Manhattan

Manhattan is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (BLS area code 35620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

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.

Manhattan at a Glance

Other Manhattan-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• West New York, NJ – 2.3 mi away (53,343 pop)
• Cliffside Park, NJ – 2.9 mi away (24,856 pop)
• Union City, NJ – 3.6 mi away (69,296 pop)
• Hoboken, NJ – 4.2 mi away (54,379 pop)
• Fort Lee, NJ – 4.7 mi away (37,577 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Manhattan, NY?

Our directory has 199 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Manhattan. The closest is CUNY Hunter College in New York, NY (1.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is CUNY Graduate School and University Center (2.6 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Manhattan are: Management Analyst ($110,950), News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist ($104,270), Editor ($99,220). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in West New York instead of Manhattan?

West New York, NJ is 2.3 miles from Manhattan 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.

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.

Related Resources

• Online Liberal Arts Programs in New York
• Main Liberal Arts Degree Guide
• Liberal Arts Programs by State

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.