Best Child Development Schools Near Meriden, CT (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Meriden, Connecticut has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs. Meriden has a population of about 60,418. Median household income is $68,617 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Connecticut, the top-earning child development-related role is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education at a median $90,030 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Child Development Schools to Meriden

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Meriden, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Meriden city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Meriden. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Charter Oak State College

New Britain, CT 9.0 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
69.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,209
Avg net price $15,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Post University

Waterbury, CT 14.9 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
22.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,696
Avg net price $21,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 33%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Saint Joseph

West Hartford, CT 17.2 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,908
Avg net price $27,989/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT 33.8 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,997
Avg net price $25,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 202

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Connecticut College

New London, CT 37.2 miles from Meriden
  • 4 year
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,001
Avg net price $36,175/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Connecticut schools on the Connecticut child development page.

Child Development Wages Near Meriden

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Connecticut, statewide)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $45,740
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $59,760
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $78,970
Childcare Workers $36,660
Special Education Teachers, Preschool $87,960
Social and Human Service Assistants $44,730
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $90,030
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other $53,840

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.

Meriden at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 60,418 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $68,617 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Meriden-Area Cities With Child Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited child development schools are near Meriden, CT?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs near Meriden. The closest is Charter Oak State College in New Britain, CT (9.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Connecticut College (37.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying child development roles in Connecticut?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles in Connecticut are: Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($90,030), Special Education Teachers, Preschool ($87,960), Child, Family, and School Social Workers ($78,970). Wages for Meriden workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Middletown instead of Meriden?

Middletown, CT is 7.2 miles from Meriden and has its own set of local child development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Meriden an affordable place to study child development?

Meriden’s median household income of $68,617 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Meriden while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Connecticut 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 Child Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Meriden

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

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