Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Johnson City, TN (2026)

Johnson City, Tennessee has a population of about 71,455. The city’s median household income is $55,429 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 58 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Johnson City. In the Johnson City, TN metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $86,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Johnson City

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 58 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Johnson City. Distances are calculated from Johnson City city center.

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Johnson City

Johnson City is part of the Johnson City, TN metro area (BLS area code 27740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.

Johnson City at a Glance

Other Johnson City-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• Kingsport, TN – 15.5 mi away (116,745 pop)
• Bristol, TN – 17.6 mi away (70,560 pop)
• Greeneville, TN – 27.2 mi away (23,953 pop)
• Boone, NC – 40.7 mi away (25,039 pop)
• Morristown, TN – 52.1 mi away (60,098 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Johnson City, TN?

Our directory has 58 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Johnson City. The closest is East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN (2.8 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Appalachian State University (39.9 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Johnson City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Johnson City are: Management Analyst ($86,390), Technical Writer ($76,950), News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist ($59,030). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Kingsport instead of Johnson City?

Kingsport, TN is 15.5 miles from Johnson City 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 Johnson City an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Johnson City’s median household income of $55,429 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Johnson City 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.

Related Resources

• Online Liberal Arts Programs in Tennessee
• Main Liberal Arts Degree Guide
• Liberal Arts Programs by State

Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.