Best Political Science Schools Near West Memphis, AR (2026)

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

West Memphis, Arkansas has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $8,090 to $25,082 per year for indexed programs. West Memphis has a population of about 24,147. Median household income is $41,860 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $94,980 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to West Memphis

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

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR 54.8 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,617
Avg net price $12,366/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,090
Out‑of‑state$14,522
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Williams Baptist University

Walnut Ridge, AR 79.0 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,484
Avg net price $15,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Harding University

Searcy, AR 86.4 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,876
Avg net price $22,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lyon College

Batesville, AR 91.1 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
27.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,232
Avg net price $19,616/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,000
Out‑of‑state$31,000
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Philander Smith University

Little Rock, AR 121.4 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,427
Avg net price $14,224/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Little Rock, AR 124.8 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 59%
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,265
Avg net price $17,248/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,748
Out‑of‑state$22,158
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Hendrix College

Conway, AR 126.8 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,376
Avg net price $24,149/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR 127.7 miles from West Memphis
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,938
Avg net price $16,511/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near West Memphis

West Memphis is part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (BLS area code 32820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arkansas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A AR statewide –
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $58,350 AR statewide $63,286
Management Analysts $94,980 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $103,015
Public Relations Specialists $61,000 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $66,161
Survey Researchers N/A AR statewide –
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $56,850 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $61,659
Compliance Officers $72,010 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $78,102
Social and Community Service Managers $84,930 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $92,115

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.

West Memphis at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,147 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $41,860 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 14.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other West Memphis-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near West Memphis, AR?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near West Memphis. The closest is Le Moyne-Owen College in Memphis, TN (9.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Mississippi (66.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles near West Memphis?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near West Memphis are: Management Analysts ($94,980), Social and Community Service Managers ($84,930), Compliance Officers ($72,010). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arkansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Memphis instead of West Memphis?

Memphis, TN is 13.0 miles from West Memphis 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 West Memphis an affordable place to study political science?

West Memphis’s median household income of $41,860 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in West Memphis while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas 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 West Memphis

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

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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