Best Political Science Schools Near Montrose, CO (2026)

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

Montrose, Colorado has 3 accredited schools offering political science programs. Montrose has a population of about 20,703. Median household income is $63,177 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Colorado, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Scientists at a median $127,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Montrose

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

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, CO 51.1 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,833
Avg net price $16,425/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, CO 56.4 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,823
Avg net price $15,103/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Fort Lewis College

Durango, CO 82.4 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,349
Avg net price $17,296/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Adams State University

Alamosa, CO 127.9 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,372
Avg net price $12,980/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

United States Air Force Academy

USAF Academy, CO 164.3 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
79.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Colorado College

Colorado Springs, CO 165.9 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
63.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 18%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,222
Avg net price $33,375/yr
Tuition
In‑state$70,734
Out‑of‑state$70,734
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO 167.6 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,659
Avg net price $15,788/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,149
Out‑of‑state$24,336
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Red Rocks Community College

Lakewood, CO 169.0 miles from Montrose
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,288
Avg net price $9,044/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Political Science Wages Near Montrose

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Colorado, statewide)
Political Scientists $127,260
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary N/A
Management Analysts $104,750
Public Relations Specialists $80,680
Survey Researchers $89,870
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $78,190
Compliance Officers $82,450
Social and Community Service Managers $97,440

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.

Montrose at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 20,703 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,177 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 33.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Montrose-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Montrose, CO?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering political science programs near Montrose. The closest is Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO (51.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fort Lewis College (82.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying political science roles in Colorado?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Colorado are: Political Scientists ($127,260), Management Analysts ($104,750), Social and Community Service Managers ($97,440). Wages for Montrose workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Grand Junction instead of Montrose?

Grand Junction, CO is 57.3 miles from Montrose 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 Montrose an affordable place to study political science?

Montrose’s median household income of $63,177 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Montrose while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado 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 Montrose

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

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 Colorado (2026)