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

Richmond, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $62,600 to $84,696 per year for indexed programs. Richmond has a population of about 227,595. Median household income is $62,671 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Richmond, VA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Management Analyst at a median $95,660 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Richmond

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

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

Liberal Arts Wages Near Richmond

Richmond is part of the Richmond, VA metro area (BLS area code 40060). 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.

Richmond at a Glance

Other Richmond-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs

• Hopewell, VA – 19.1 mi away (22,735 pop)
• Petersburg, VA – 22.9 mi away (31,882 pop)
• Williamsburg, VA – 45.8 mi away (81,840 pop)
• Fredericksburg, VA – 53.2 mi away (164,610 pop)
• Newport News, VA – 60.2 mi away (181,825 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Richmond. The closest is Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA (1.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is James Madison University (98.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near Richmond are: Management Analyst ($95,660), Human Resources Specialist ($79,340), Technical Writer ($79,200). 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 Hopewell instead of Richmond?

Hopewell, VA is 19.1 miles from Richmond 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 Richmond an affordable place to study liberal arts?

Richmond’s median household income of $62,671 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Richmond 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.