Best Political Science Schools Near Mason City, IA (2026)

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

Mason City, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $9,936 to $22,278 per year for indexed programs. Mason City has a population of about 27,135. Median household income is $62,369 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $85,530 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Mason City

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

Wartburg College

Waverly, IA 46.5 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,201
Avg net price $32,908/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 57.7 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 116

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Luther College

Decorah, IA 71.2 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,850
Avg net price $23,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 80.8 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 169

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA 99.8 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
72.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,830
Avg net price $17,648/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 107.5 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,156
Avg net price $18,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 109.4 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,901
Avg net price $29,127/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 111.7 miles from Mason City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Political Science Wages Near Mason City

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $80,160
Management Analysts $85,530
Public Relations Specialists $62,970
Survey Researchers $83,170
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $54,550
Compliance Officers $75,620
Social and Community Service Managers $65,940

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.

Mason City at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 27,135 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $62,369 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Mason City-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Mason City, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Mason City. The closest is Wartburg College in Waverly, IA (46.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Iowa State University (80.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Iowa are: Management Analysts ($85,530), Survey Researchers ($83,170), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($80,160). Wages for Mason City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Austin instead of Mason City?

Austin, MN is 37.9 miles from Mason City 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 Mason City an affordable place to study political science?

Mason City’s median household income of $62,369 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mason City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Mason City

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

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 Iowa: Online Programs (2026)