Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Durham, NC (2026)

Durham, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $2,528 to $22,570 per year for indexed programs. Durham has a population of about 288,465. Median household income is $79,234 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 55.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $126,110 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Durham

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

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Durham

Durham is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area (BLS area code 20500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

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.

Durham at a Glance

Other Durham-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• Chapel Hill, NC – 8.4 mi away (59,246 pop)
• Morrisville, NC – 10.7 mi away (24,732 pop)
• Carrboro, NC – 10.9 mi away (21,265 pop)
• Cary, NC – 14.6 mi away (162,320 pop)
• Apex, NC – 17.8 mi away (47,349 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Durham, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Durham. The closest is Durham Technical Community College in Durham, NC (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Elon University (33.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Durham are: Management Analyst ($126,110), Technical Writer ($94,520), Human Resources Specialist ($81,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chapel Hill instead of Durham?

Chapel Hill, NC is 8.4 miles from Durham 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 Durham an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Durham’s median household income of $79,234 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Durham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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

• Liberal Arts accreditation: what to look for
• Liberal Arts concentrations and specializations
• Is a Liberal Arts degree worth it?
• Main Liberal Arts degree guide
• Online Liberal Arts programs in North Carolina
• Liberal Arts programs by state

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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.