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

Chesapeake, Virginia has 4 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $2,540 to $77,290 per year for indexed programs. Chesapeake has a population of about 251,153. Median household income is $94,189 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $101,380 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Chesapeake

The 4 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 4 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Chesapeake. Distances are calculated from Chesapeake city center.

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Chesapeake

Chesapeake is part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area (BLS area code 47260). 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.

Chesapeake at a Glance

Other Chesapeake-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• Portsmouth, VA – 12.0 mi away (95,252 pop)
• Virginia Beach, VA – 14.8 mi away (1,487,505 pop)
• Norfolk, VA – 15.2 mi away (245,115 pop)
• Suffolk, VA – 18.7 mi away (89,273 pop)
• Hampton, VA – 26.3 mi away (135,410 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Chesapeake. The closest is Beaufort County Community College in Washington, NC (87.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Carolina University (94.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Chesapeake are: Management Analyst ($101,380), Technical Writer ($79,340), Human Resources Specialist ($76,240). 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 Portsmouth instead of Chesapeake?

Portsmouth, VA is 12.0 miles from Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Chesapeake’s median household income of $94,189 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chesapeake 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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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.