Best Political Science Schools Near Ocala, FL (2026)

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

Ocala, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $14,794 to $72,533 per year for indexed programs. Ocala has a population of about 64,903. Median household income is $53,520 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Ocala, FL metro area, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $78,560 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Ocala

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

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL 34.4 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,588
Avg net price $6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 172

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Stetson University

DeLand, FL 52.2 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,642
Avg net price $19,372/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,410
Out‑of‑state$57,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Saint Leo University

Saint Leo, FL 58.7 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,364
Avg net price $21,293/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rollins College

Winter Park, FL 63.1 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
53.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,295
Avg net price $34,732/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Bethune-Cookman University

Daytona Beach, FL 67.3 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,518
Avg net price $12,030/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,794
Out‑of‑state$14,794
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 69.9 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Flagler College

Saint Augustine, FL 70.3 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,483
Avg net price $30,525/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL 79.0 miles from Ocala
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 43%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,743
Avg net price $9,812/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,410
Out‑of‑state$17,324
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 151

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Ocala

Ocala is part of the Ocala, FL metro area (BLS area code 36100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A FL statewide –
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $77,860 FL statewide $81,786
Management Analysts $78,560 Ocala, FL $82,521
Public Relations Specialists $61,740 Ocala, FL $64,853
Survey Researchers N/A FL statewide –
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $50,900 Ocala, FL $53,466
Compliance Officers $57,890 Ocala, FL $60,809
Social and Community Service Managers $70,630 Ocala, FL $74,191

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.

Ocala at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 64,903 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $53,520 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ocala-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Ocala, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Ocala. The closest is University of Florida in Gainesville, FL (34.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bethune-Cookman University (67.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Ocala are: Management Analysts ($78,560), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($77,860), Social and Community Service Managers ($70,630). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Leesburg instead of Ocala?

Leesburg, FL is 32.3 miles from Ocala 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 Ocala an affordable place to study political science?

Ocala’s median household income of $53,520 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ocala while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Ocala

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

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 Florida (2026)