The University of Texas at Austin
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Austin, TX (2026)
Austin, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $33,150 to $45,235 per year for indexed programs. Austin has a population of about 967,862. Median household income is $91,461 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 58.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $106,600 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Austin
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Austin. Distances are calculated from Austin 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 Austin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Saint Edward's University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Published tuition$33,150 - $45,235
Online programsYes
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Our Lady of the Lake University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Austin
Austin is part of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area (BLS area code 12420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $69,470 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $70,815 |
| Management Analyst | $106,600 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $108,665 |
| Technical Writer | $88,360 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $90,071 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | $63,940 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $65,178 |
| Editor | $52,600 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $53,619 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $71,710 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $73,099 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,860 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $77,329 |
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.
Austin at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 967,862 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $91,461 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 58.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 98.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Liberal Arts-related employment in Travis County | 3,741 workers, 481 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Austin-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Pflugerville, TX – 13.7 mi away (59,245 pop)
- Cedar Park, TX – 15.0 mi away (68,918 pop)
- Round Rock, TX – 16.2 mi away (120,892 pop)
- Leander, TX – 19.5 mi away (42,761 pop)
- Hutto, TX – 20.2 mi away (23,832 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Austin, TX?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Austin. The closest is The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX (1.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Our Lady of the Lake University (76.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Austin?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Austin are: Management Analyst ($106,600), Technical Writer ($88,360), Human Resources Specialist ($75,860). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Pflugerville instead of Austin?
Pflugerville, TX is 13.7 miles from Austin 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 Austin an affordable place to study liberal arts?
Austin’s median household income of $91,461 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Austin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Texas
- Liberal Arts programs by state
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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.