Best Political Science Schools Near Arvin, CA (2026)

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

Arvin, California has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Arvin has a population of about 19,478. Median household income is $49,984 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 4.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $124,890 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Arvin

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

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

Sort:
#1

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA 16.9 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
24.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,291
Avg net price $14,621/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 18.8 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,009
Avg net price $5,652/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Antelope Valley Community College District

Lancaster, CA 51.1 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
40.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,526
Avg net price $3,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita, CA 58.9 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,106
Avg net price $32,647/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Moorpark College

Moorpark, CA 61.7 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
65.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,044
Avg net price $-2,296/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Los Angeles Mission College

Sylmar, CA 65.1 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,834
Avg net price $13,380/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA 67.1 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,712
Avg net price $30,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA 68.1 miles from Arvin
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,115
Avg net price $7,021/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,458
Out‑of‑state$20,058
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Political Science Wages Near Arvin

Arvin is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A CA statewide –
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $124,890 CA statewide $123,776
Management Analysts $96,580 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $95,719
Public Relations Specialists $76,580 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $75,897
Survey Researchers $83,520 CA statewide $82,775
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $63,420 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $62,854
Compliance Officers $80,040 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $79,326
Social and Community Service Managers $75,600 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $74,926

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.

Arvin at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 19,478 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $49,984 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 4.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.9 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Arvin-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Arvin, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Arvin. The closest is Bakersfield College in Bakersfield, CA (16.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The Master’s University and Seminary (58.9 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Arvin are: Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($124,890), Management Analysts ($96,580), Survey Researchers ($83,520). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Bakersfield instead of Arvin?

Bakersfield, CA is 15.9 miles from Arvin 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 Arvin an affordable place to study political science?

Arvin’s median household income of $49,984 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Arvin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Arvin

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

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 California (2026)