Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Cookeville, TN (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Cookeville, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs. Cookeville has a population of about 35,544. Median household income is $48,501 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $99,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Cookeville

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Cookeville. Distances are calculated from Cookeville 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 Cookeville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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Published tuitionContact school for pricing

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Cookeville

Occupation	Median Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist	$60,900
Management Analyst	$99,260
Technical Writer	$79,550
News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist	$62,390
Editor	$59,550
Training and Development Specialist	$62,280
Human Resources Specialist	$67,370

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.

Cookeville at a Glance

Metric	Value	Source
Population	35,544	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income	$48,501	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+	35.4%	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Liberal Arts-related employment in Putnam County	18 workers, 9 establishments	BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Cookeville-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

Lebanon, TN – 46.7 mi away (33,068 pop)
Murfreesboro, TN – 54.2 mi away (161,634 pop)
Harriman, TN – 55.2 mi away (23,026 pop)
Gallatin, TN – 55.7 mi away (35,734 pop)
Mount Juliet, TN – 55.9 mi away (33,263 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Cookeville, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Cookeville. The closest is Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN (1.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Western Kentucky University (78.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles in Tennessee are: Management Analyst ($99,260), Technical Writer ($79,550), Human Resources Specialist ($67,370). Wages for Cookeville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Cookeville?

Lebanon, TN is 46.7 miles from Cookeville 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 Cookeville an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Cookeville’s median household income of $48,501 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cookeville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee 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 Cookeville

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

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.

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