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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 accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Brookings, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Brookings city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
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?
Accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Brookings 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 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
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
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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.
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