Best Innovation Schools Near Bristol, CT (2026)

Bristol, Connecticut has 58 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $5,338 to $58,896 per year for indexed programs. Bristol has a population of about 61,129. Median household income is $83,458 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Connecticut, the top-earning innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $171,750 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Innovation Schools to Bristol

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer innovation programs near Bristol, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bristol 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 Bristol. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Hartford

West Hartford, CT 14.3 miles from Bristol BOC Score 58.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,823
Avg net price $30,282/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Connecticut State Community College

New Britain, CT 15.1 miles from Bristol BOC Score 47.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,344
Avg net price $11,513/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 139

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Goodwin University

East Hartford, CT 16.1 miles from Bristol BOC Score 57.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,596
Avg net price $29,249/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, CT 18.2 miles from Bristol BOC Score 72.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 79%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,759
Avg net price $40,675/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Innovation Wages Near Bristol

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Connecticut, statewide)
General and Operations Manager$137,220
Management Analyst$104,960
Marketing Manager$169,240
Computer and Information Systems Manager$171,750

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.


Bristol at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population61,129Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$83,458Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Bristol-Area Cities With Innovation Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Bristol, CT?

Our directory has 58 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Bristol. The closest is University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT (14.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hampshire College (49.2 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying innovation roles in Connecticut?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles in Connecticut are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($171,750), Marketing Manager ($169,240), General and Operations Manager ($137,220). Wages for Bristol workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in New Britain instead of Bristol?

New Britain, CT is 8.0 miles from Bristol and has its own set of local innovation programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bristol an affordable place to study innovation?

Bristol’s median household income of $83,458 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bristol 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 Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Bristol

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

Data verified: August 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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.