Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in East Providence, RI (2026)

East Providence, Rhode Island has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $15,208 to $31,750 per year for indexed programs. East Providence has a population of about 46,970. Median household income is $79,660 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $100,360 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Liberal Arts Schools to East Providence

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

#1

Brown University

Providence, RI 3.1 miles from East Providence BOC Score 84.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 5%
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $93,487
Avg net price $25,184/yr
Tuition
In‑state$71,412
Out‑of‑state$71,412
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Johnson & Wales University-Providence

Providence, RI 3.8 miles from East Providence BOC Score 33.7
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,418
Avg net price $31,027/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,419
Out‑of‑state$42,419
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Community College of Rhode Island

Warwick, RI 9.1 miles from East Providence BOC Score 51.2
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,659
Avg net price $6,513/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,550
Out‑of‑state$14,834
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near East Providence

East Providence is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (BLS area code 39300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Rhode Island statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$77,210Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$75,845
Management Analyst$100,360Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$98,585
Technical Writer$92,240Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$90,609
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist$63,430Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$62,308
Editor$76,180Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$74,833
Training and Development Specialist$72,550Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$71,267
Human Resources Specialist$76,930Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$75,570

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.


East Providence at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population46,970Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$79,660Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.8 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Liberal Arts-related employment in Providence County1,401 workers, 132 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other East Providence-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near East Providence, RI?

Accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near East Providence 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 near East Providence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near East Providence are: Management Analyst ($100,360), Technical Writer ($92,240), Public Relations Specialist ($77,210). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Rhode Island statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Providence instead of East Providence?

Providence, RI is 3.4 miles from East Providence 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 East Providence an affordable place to study liberal arts?

East Providence’s median household income of $79,660 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Providence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Rhode Island 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 East Providence

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

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.