Ponca City, Oklahoma has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs, with tuition ranging from $5,083 to $28,290 per year for indexed programs. Ponca City has a population of about 24,377. Median household income is $55,270 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Oklahoma, the top-earning child development-related role is Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other at a median $53,640 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Child Development Schools to Ponca City
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Ponca City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ponca City 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Ponca City.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
75%
Graduation rate
67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$57,413
Avg net price
$17,447/yr
TuitionIn‑state$10,234
Out‑of‑state$25,754
Key stats
- Retention rate: 84%
- Programs offered: 166
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$33,261
Avg net price
$11,504/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 57%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$48,351
Avg net price
$18,309/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 65%
- Programs offered: 126
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
97%
Graduation rate
55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$49,203
Avg net price
$21,872/yr
TuitionIn‑state$27,180
Out‑of‑state$27,180
Key stats
- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 52
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,951
Avg net price
$22,084/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 46
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$37,555
Avg net price
$12,148/yr
TuitionIn‑state$5,030
Out‑of‑state$11,407
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$40,118
Avg net price
$10,912/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 67%
- Programs offered: 42
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$36,545
Avg net price
$12,844/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,230
Out‑of‑state$11,430
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Oklahoma schools on the Oklahoma child development page.
Child Development Wages Near Ponca City
| Occupation |
Median Annual Wage (Oklahoma, statewide) |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education |
$31,790 |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare |
$46,690 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers |
$43,950 |
| Childcare Workers |
$27,730 |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool |
$49,720 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants |
$36,740 |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education |
$47,860 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other |
$53,640 |
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.
Ponca City at a Glance
| Metric |
Value |
Source |
| Population |
24,377 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income |
$55,270 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ |
20.0% |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Ponca City-Area Cities With Child Development Programs
- Stillwater, OK – 40.9 mi away (48,233 pop)
- Enid, OK – 49.6 mi away (49,176 pop)
- Derby, KS – 58.5 mi away (23,633 pop)
- Bartlesville, OK – 62.2 mi away (39,848 pop)
- Wichita, KS – 68.4 mi away (482,205 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited child development schools are near Ponca City, OK?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs near Ponca City. The closest is Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, OK (13.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Central Oklahoma (77.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying child development roles in Oklahoma?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles in Oklahoma are: Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other ($53,640), Special Education Teachers, Preschool ($49,720), Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($47,860). Wages for Ponca City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Stillwater instead of Ponca City?
Stillwater, OK is 40.9 miles from Ponca City 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 Ponca City an affordable place to study child development?
Ponca City’s median household income of $55,270 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ponca City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Oklahoma 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 Ponca City
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ponca City:
- History programs in Ponca City, OK
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- Sociology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Anthropology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Political Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Philosophy programs in Ponca City, OK
- Mathematics programs in Ponca City, OK
- General Studies programs in Ponca City, OK
- Forensic Psychology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Data Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Electrical Engineering programs in Ponca City, OK
- Software Engineering programs in Ponca City, OK
- Engineering Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Geography programs in Ponca City, OK
- Aviation Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Public Policy programs in Ponca City, OK
- International Relations programs in Ponca City, OK
- Chemistry programs in Ponca City, OK
- Physics programs in Ponca City, OK
- Neuroscience programs in Ponca City, OK
- Spanish programs in Ponca City, OK
- Film programs in Ponca City, OK
- Fashion programs in Ponca City, OK
- Architecture programs in Ponca City, OK
- Urban Planning programs in Ponca City, OK
- Industrial Design programs in Ponca City, OK
- Game Design programs in Ponca City, OK
- Instructional Design programs in Ponca City, OK
- Higher Education Administration programs in Ponca City, OK
- Global Health programs in Ponca City, OK
- Art History programs in Ponca City, OK
- Creative Writing programs in Ponca City, OK
- Environmental Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Nutrition programs in Ponca City, OK
- Theology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Library Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in Ponca City, OK
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in Ponca City, OK
- Medical Assistant programs in Ponca City, OK
- Pharmacy Technician programs in Ponca City, OK
- Health Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in Ponca City, OK
- Entrepreneurship programs in Ponca City, OK
- Interior Design programs in Ponca City, OK
- Photography programs in Ponca City, OK
- Sustainability Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Behavioral Health Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Mental Health Counseling programs in Ponca City, OK
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in Ponca City, OK
- Journalism programs in Ponca City, OK
- Public Relations programs in Ponca City, OK
- Communication Disorders programs in Ponca City, OK
- Speech Pathology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Technical Communication programs in Ponca City, OK
- Professional Writing programs in Ponca City, OK
- Strategic Communications programs in Ponca City, OK
- Business Development programs in Ponca City, OK
- Construction Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Economics programs in Ponca City, OK
- Financial Technology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Forensic Accounting programs in Ponca City, OK
- Health Information Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Hospitality Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- International Business programs in Ponca City, OK
- Organizational Leadership programs in Ponca City, OK
- Management Information Systems programs in Ponca City, OK
- Nonprofit Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Operations Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Public Administration programs in Ponca City, OK
- Real Estate programs in Ponca City, OK
- Recreation Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Retail Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Risk Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Statistics programs in Ponca City, OK
- Taxation programs in Ponca City, OK
- Corrections programs in Ponca City, OK
- Crime Analysis programs in Ponca City, OK
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Ponca City, OK
- Criminology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Cybercrime programs in Ponca City, OK
- Emergency Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Fire Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Forensic Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Legal Services programs in Ponca City, OK
- Legal Studies programs in Ponca City, OK
- Paralegal programs in Ponca City, OK
- Security Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Cloud Computing programs in Ponca City, OK
- Computer Engineering programs in Ponca City, OK
- Innovation programs in Ponca City, OK
- Mobile App Development programs in Ponca City, OK
- Software Development programs in Ponca City, OK
- User Experience programs in Ponca City, OK
- Web Development programs in Ponca City, OK
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Ponca City, OK
- Machine Learning programs in Ponca City, OK
- Supply Chain Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Data Analytics programs in Ponca City, OK
- Public Health programs in Ponca City, OK
- Human Resources programs in Ponca City, OK
- Project Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Special Education programs in Ponca City, OK
- Homeland Security programs in Ponca City, OK
- Marketing programs in Ponca City, OK
- Finance programs in Ponca City, OK
- Kinesiology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Sports Management programs in Ponca City, OK
- Early Childhood Education programs in Ponca City, OK
- Elementary Education programs in Ponca City, OK
- Biology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Communications programs in Ponca City, OK
- Graphic Design programs in Ponca City, OK
- Human Services programs in Ponca City, OK
- MBA programs in Ponca City, OK
- Criminal Justice programs in Ponca City, OK
- Nursing programs in Ponca City, OK
- Business Administration programs in Ponca City, OK
- Computer Science programs in Ponca City, OK
- Psychology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Education programs in Ponca City, OK
- Engineering programs in Ponca City, OK
- Technology programs in Ponca City, OK
- Liberal Arts programs in Ponca City, OK
- Healthcare programs in Ponca City, OK
- Cybersecurity programs in Ponca City, OK
- Accounting programs in Ponca City, OK
- Healthcare Administration programs in Ponca City, OK
- Social Work programs in Ponca City, OK
- Counseling programs in Ponca City, OK
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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