Case Western Reserve University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Willoughby, OH (2026)
Willoughby, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $10,791 to $51,346 per year for indexed programs. Willoughby has a population of about 23,934. Median household income is $70,884 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cleveland, OH metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $88,260 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Willoughby
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Willoughby. Distances are calculated from Willoughby 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 Willoughby. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Baldwin Wallace University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Kent State University at Kent
Published tuition$12,846 - $29,345
Online programsYes
Youngstown State University
Published tuition$10,791 - $20,028
Online programsYes
Thiel College
Published tuition$36,864 - $51,346
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Ohio schools on the Ohio liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Willoughby
Willoughby is part of the Cleveland, OH metro area (BLS area code 17410). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $66,610 | Cleveland, OH | $70,937 |
| Management Analyst | $88,260 | Cleveland, OH | $93,994 |
| Technical Writer | $75,810 | Cleveland, OH | $80,735 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $48,660 | Cleveland, OH | $51,821 |
| Editor | $73,850 | Cleveland, OH | $78,647 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $70,060 | Cleveland, OH | $74,611 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $70,900 | Cleveland, OH | $75,506 |
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.
Willoughby at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,934 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $70,884 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 35.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Willoughby-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Mentor, OH – 4.8 mi away (46,732 pop)
- Euclid, OH – 6.9 mi away (47,360 pop)
- South Euclid, OH – 10.4 mi away (21,658 pop)
- Cleveland Heights, OH – 12.3 mi away (44,633 pop)
- Shaker Heights, OH – 13.9 mi away (27,448 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Willoughby, OH?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Willoughby. The closest is Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH (14.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Thiel College (55.5 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Willoughby?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Willoughby are: Management Analyst ($88,260), Technical Writer ($75,810), Editor ($73,850). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Mentor instead of Willoughby?
Mentor, OH is 4.8 miles from Willoughby 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 Willoughby an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Willoughby’s median household income of $70,884 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Willoughby while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Ohio
- 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.