Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Alexandria, VA (2026)

Alexandria, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $36,028 to $84,696 per year for indexed programs. Alexandria has a population of about 156,788. Median household income is $113,638 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 65.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $126,830 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Alexandria

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Alexandria. Distances are calculated from Alexandria city center.

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Alexandria

Alexandria is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

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.

Alexandria at a Glance

Other Alexandria-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• Washington, DC – 7.0 mi away (5,191,844 pop)
• Fairfax, VA – 11.7 mi away (24,164 pop)
• College Park, MD – 14.8 mi away (32,275 pop)
• Greenbelt, MD – 16.2 mi away (23,909 pop)
• Rockville, MD – 18.7 mi away (66,940 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Alexandria, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Alexandria. The closest is Georgetown University in Washington, DC (6.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Shenandoah University (62.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near Alexandria?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Alexandria are: Management Analyst ($126,830), Public Relations Specialist ($101,680), News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist ($101,020). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Washington instead of Alexandria?

Washington, DC is 7.0 miles from Alexandria 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 Alexandria an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Alexandria’s median household income of $113,638 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Alexandria while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Virginia
• Liberal Arts programs by state

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

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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.