Best Political Science Schools Near Gilbert, AZ (2026)

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

Gilbert, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Gilbert has a population of about 271,118. Median household income is $121,351 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Scientists at a median $114,320 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Gilbert

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer political science programs near Gilbert, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Gilbert 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 Gilbert. 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

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 9.1 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,034
Avg net price $12,132/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ 13.1 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
Avg net price $14,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 305

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ 14.8 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
61.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rio Salado College

Tempe, AZ 15.0 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,015
Avg net price $8,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 16.0 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,905
Avg net price $13,336/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

South Mountain Community College

Phoenix, AZ 17.3 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
38.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 16%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,825
Avg net price $12,780/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

GateWay Community College

Phoenix, AZ 17.4 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,147
Avg net price $13,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 23.0 miles from Gilbert
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,870
Avg net price $12,055/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 99

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona political science page.

Political Science Wages Near Gilbert

Gilbert is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists $114,320 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $110,668
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $98,260 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $95,121
Management Analysts $94,900 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $91,868
Public Relations Specialists $70,490 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $68,238
Survey Researchers $59,210 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $57,318
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $62,620 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $60,620
Compliance Officers $74,240 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $71,868
Social and Community Service Managers $79,200 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $76,670

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.

Gilbert at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 271,118 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $121,351 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 47.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Gilbert-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Gilbert, AZ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Gilbert. The closest is Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, AZ (3.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rio Salado College (15.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles near Gilbert?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Gilbert are: Political Scientists ($114,320), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($98,260), Management Analysts ($94,900). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chandler instead of Gilbert?

Chandler, AZ is 6.4 miles from Gilbert and has its own set of local political science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Gilbert an affordable place to study political science?

Gilbert’s median household income of $121,351 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gilbert while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona 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 Political Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Gilbert

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

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.

Back to Best Political Science Schools in Arizona (2026)