Best Political Science Schools Near Freeport, IL (2026)

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

Freeport, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $35,860 to $50,903 per year for indexed programs. Freeport has a population of about 23,636. Median household income is $48,181 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $104,270 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Freeport

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

Rockford University

Rockford, IL 31.5 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
38.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,794
Avg net price $22,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL 50.9 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,808
Avg net price $13,391/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL 71.9 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
62.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,971
Avg net price $22,736/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Aurora University

Aurora, IL 75.7 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,709
Avg net price $18,838/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL 83.9 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,756
Avg net price $26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Benedictine University

Lisle, IL 86.5 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,446
Avg net price $22,313/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL 90.8 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,462
Avg net price $24,185/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL 92.5 miles from Freeport
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
59.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,825
Avg net price $28,673/yr
Tuition
In‑state$56,402
Out‑of‑state$56,402
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Freeport

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Political Scientists $103,780
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $100,700
Management Analysts $104,270
Public Relations Specialists $76,380
Survey Researchers $54,080
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $63,670
Compliance Officers $80,550
Social and Community Service Managers $78,380

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.

Freeport at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,636 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,181 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 20.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Freeport-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Freeport, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Freeport. The closest is Rockford University in Rockford, IL (31.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Edgewood College (54.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Illinois are: Management Analysts ($104,270), Political Scientists ($103,780), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($100,700). Wages for Freeport workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Rockford instead of Freeport?

Rockford, IL is 29.3 miles from Freeport 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 Freeport an affordable place to study political science?

Freeport’s median household income of $48,181 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Freeport while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Freeport

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

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 Illinois (2026)