Cost Analysis of Distance Learning Liberal Arts Programs

The cost of distance learning liberal arts programs depends on several factors, such as level of degree sought, location and school. Below is a sampling of some online liberal arts degrees and their tuition rates.

How Much Do Distance Learning Liberal Arts Programs Cost?

Associate Degrees

University of Delaware

The Associate of Arts degree at the University of Delaware requires 60 credit hours. The tuition for the online program is $414 per credit hour, plus a $25 registration fee and a $25 comprehensive fee each quarter.

Harvard University

The Harvard University Extension School offers an Associate of Arts degree with a 64-credit requirement. Tuition ranges from $925 to $1,850 per course; most courses are four credits each. There is also a $50 registration fee.

California Southern University

The Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies at California Southern University requires 60 credits to complete. The cost per credit is $195. Additional application fees, textbook costs, technology fees and other applicable fees are not included in the tuition.

Bachelor's Degrees

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts degree requiring a minimum of 124 hours for degree completion. The tuition at UALR is $167.75 per hour for Arkansas residents and $450 per hour for non-residents. There is also a $25 per hour fee for distance education, and a $40 application fee.

Colorado State University

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts at Colorado State University is a 120-credit program. The tuition is a flat $289 per credit.

Oregon State University

The Extended Campus at Oregon State University offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies. These programs require 180 credits. Tuition is $151 per credit, plus a distance education fee of $75 per credit, for a total of $226 per credit.

Master's Degrees

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania offers a Master of Liberal Arts degree requiring 30 credits. The tuition for Pennsylvania residents is $1,276.50 plus a $60 per semester technology fee. Non-residents pay $1,302.03 plus a $82 per semester technology fee. Both residents and non-residents are charged a $25 registration fee and a $30 activity fee.

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University in New York offers a 33-credit Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Tuition for New York State residents taking less than nine credits is $349 per credit plus a comprehensive fee of $46.75 per credit and a graduate activity fee of eight dollars per term. For non-residents the tuition is $552 per credit plus the comprehensive and graduate activity fees.

Northeastern University

The College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University in Massachusetts offers a Master of Liberal Arts degree that can be completed online, on-campus or through a combination of the two. The curriculum requires 40 credit hours; tuition is $524 per credit hour.