When searching for an affordable master of liberal arts online degree, consider the Regional Accreditation component. Regionally accredited online liberal arts programs ensure collegiate benefits, such as credit transfer options, tuition reimbursement programs, and participation in federal financial aid plans. These factors may change the course of academic progress as occupational needs increase, tuition prices rise and drop, and students discover a preference to diverse professional pathways. Liberal arts graduates represent a high variety of skills, knowledge, dedication, and technical ability applicable to a broad range of occupations. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, liberal arts careers are expected to grow anywhere between 5 to 15 percent through 2028. Regionally accredited master of liberal arts programs with a concentration in intelligence analysis could provide an average mid-career salary of $98,000 while a more traditional concentration in history could bring an average of $61,000 to successful graduates.
GetEducated has surveyed 43 master of liberal arts online programs from 27 regionally accredited schools to complete this “Best Buy” list for you. These rankings represent the most affordable options available to students throughout the US. Explore fully researched options and become an informed consumer before subscribing to the next chapter of your life.
Average Cost (In-state): ~$18,500
Least Expensive: University of North Carolina-Wilmington ~ $7,770.30
Most Expensive: Texas Christian University ~ $30,700.00
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest master of liberal arts online degrees. The online liberal arts degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2020 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
17 Most Affordable Master of Liberal Arts Online
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of North Carolina-Wilmington | (NC) | $7,770.30 $28,107.30 | In-State Out-of-State |
2 | Fort Hays State University | (KS) | $8,920.25 | All Students |
3 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | (NC) | $9,968.35 $18,410.74 | In-State Out-of-State |
4 | Western New Mexico University | (NM) | $11,362.32 $13,707.72 | In-State Out-of-State |
5 | Jacksonville State University | (AL) | $12,000.00 | All Students |
6 | Southern Utah University | (UT) | $12,900.00 | All Students |
7 | Auburn University at Montgomery | (AL) | $13,938.00 $15,168.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
8 | University of Oklahoma | (OK) | $14,439.15 $34,595.55 | In-State Out-of-State |
9 | South Dakota State University | (SD) | $14,905.60 | All Students |
9 | University of South Dakota | (SD) | $14,905.60 | All Students |
11 | Texas Tech University | (TX) | $15,314.00 | All Students |
12 | SUNY College at Brockport | (NY) | $15,484.00 $18,304.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
13 | University of Maine | (ME) | $15,890.00 $19,280.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
14 | Stony Brook University | (NY) | $17,878.09 $20,980.09 | In-State Out-of-State |
15 | Kent State University | (OH) | $18,084.00 $33,363.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
16 |  Liberty University | (VA) | $18,411.00 $8,625.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
17 | University of Illinois at Springfield | (IL) | $18,442.30 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Regis University | (CO) | $19,130.00 | All Students | |
University of Toledo | (OH) | $20,281.32 $34,860.06 | In-State Out-of-State | |
University of Memphis | (TN) | $21,351.00 | All Students | |
University of Michigan-Flint | (MI) | $23,331.50 $33,718.25 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Thomas Edison State University | (NJ) | $24,346.00 | All Students | |
Nova Southeastern University | (FL) | $28,190.00 | All Students | |
Rutgers University | (NJ) | $30,000.00 | All Students | |
 Johns Hopkins University | (MD) | $30,070.00 | All Students | |
Dallas Baptist University | (TX) | $30,520.00 | All Students | |
Texas Christian University | (TX) | $30,700.00 | All Students |
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
Accreditation Note: To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
Rankings Note: These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter/Spring 2020 review of regionally accredited master of liberal arts online degrees. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the Request More Information in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules. The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note: Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a master’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for liberal arts may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best master of liberal arts online for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.