Northwestern College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Brookings, SD (2026)
Brookings, South Dakota has 1 accredited school offering liberal arts programs. Brookings has a population of about 23,710. Median household income is $61,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $83,620 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Brookings
The 1 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 1 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Brookings. Distances are calculated from Brookings 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 Brookings. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Brookings
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (South Dakota, statewide) |
|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $64,520 |
| Management Analyst | $83,620 |
| Technical Writer | $63,350 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $43,520 |
| Editor | $56,730 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $61,570 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $67,590 |
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.
Brookings at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,710 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $61,979 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 49.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Brookings-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Watertown, SD – 45.7 mi away (21,788 pop)
- Sioux Falls, SD – 52.9 mi away (177,629 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Brookings, SD?
Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Brookings. The closest is Northwestern College in Orange City, IA (97.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Northwestern College (97.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles in South Dakota?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles in South Dakota are: Management Analyst ($83,620), Human Resources Specialist ($67,590), Public Relations Specialist ($64,520). Wages for Brookings workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Brookings?
Watertown, SD is 45.7 miles from Brookings 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 Brookings an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Brookings’s median household income of $61,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Brookings while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota 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 South Dakota
- Liberal Arts programs by state
Other Programs Available in Brookings
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Brookings:
- Criminal Justice programs in Brookings, SD
- Nursing programs in Brookings, SD
- Business Administration programs in Brookings, SD
- Computer Science programs in Brookings, SD
- Psychology programs in Brookings, SD
- Education programs in Brookings, SD
- Engineering programs in Brookings, SD
- Technology programs in Brookings, SD
- Healthcare programs in Brookings, SD
- Cybersecurity programs in Brookings, SD
- Accounting programs in Brookings, SD
- Healthcare Administration programs in Brookings, SD
- Social Work programs in Brookings, SD
- Counseling programs in Brookings, SD
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
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.
Back to Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in South Dakota (2026)
Return to Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in South Dakota (2026)