Best Political Science Schools Near Salina, KS (2026)

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

Salina, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Salina has a population of about 46,432. Median household income is $60,624 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $81,210 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Salina

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

McPherson College

McPherson, KS 30.6 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
30.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,084
Avg net price $26,441/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 61.3 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,262
Avg net price $19,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 163

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 77.7 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,532
Avg net price $13,194/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 149

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Emporia State University

Emporia, KS 82.3 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,601
Avg net price $16,261/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Fort Hays State University

Hays, KS 93.0 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,928
Avg net price $12,569/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 103.9 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,774
Avg net price $15,280/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 127.7 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,945
Avg net price $18,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Benedictine College

Atchison, KS 143.8 miles from Salina
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,175
Avg net price $27,891/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Salina

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $78,800
Management Analysts $81,210
Public Relations Specialists $64,860
Survey Researchers $57,700
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $55,000
Compliance Officers $69,740
Social and Community Service Managers $79,260

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.

Salina at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 46,432 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $60,624 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Salina-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Salina, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Salina. The closest is McPherson College in McPherson, KS (30.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Emporia State University (82.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Kansas are: Management Analysts ($81,210), Social and Community Service Managers ($79,260), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($78,800). Wages for Salina workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Junction City instead of Salina?

Junction City, KS is 43.7 miles from Salina 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 Salina an affordable place to study political science?

Salina’s median household income of $60,624 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salina while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Salina

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

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 Kansas (2026)