Best Political Science Schools Near Pittsfield, MA (2026)

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

Pittsfield, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Pittsfield has a population of about 43,559. Median household income is $68,386 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Massachusetts, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Scientists at a median $133,930 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Pittsfield

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

Williams College

Williamstown, MA 18.3 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
80.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $88,665
Avg net price $17,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, MA 18.4 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
44.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,102
Avg net price $16,068/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Westfield State University

Westfield, MA 32.4 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,346
Avg net price $16,721/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Smith College

Northampton, MA 33.1 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
66.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,027
Avg net price $27,579/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA 37.6 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,418
Avg net price $26,441/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA 37.7 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,631
Avg net price $22,383/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Hampshire College

Amherst, MA 38.2 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
40.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,938
Avg net price $24,034/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Amherst College

Amherst, MA 38.2 miles from Pittsfield
  • 4 year
73.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,644
Avg net price $23,367/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Pittsfield

Pittsfield is part of the Pittsfield, MA metro area (BLS area code 38340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists $133,930 MA statewide $140,831
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $128,150 MA statewide $134,753
Management Analysts $125,010 Pittsfield, MA $131,451
Public Relations Specialists $73,720 Pittsfield, MA $77,518
Survey Researchers $74,890 MA statewide $78,749
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $62,210 Pittsfield, MA $65,415
Compliance Officers $83,460 Pittsfield, MA $87,760
Social and Community Service Managers $75,660 Pittsfield, MA $79,558

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.

Pittsfield at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 43,559 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $68,386 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 34.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Pittsfield-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Pittsfield, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Pittsfield. The closest is Williams College in Williamstown, MA (18.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bennington College (32.3 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Pittsfield are: Political Scientists ($133,930), Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($128,150), Management Analysts ($125,010). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Troy instead of Pittsfield?

Troy, NY is 28.8 miles from Pittsfield 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 Pittsfield an affordable place to study political science?

Pittsfield’s median household income of $68,386 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pittsfield while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Pittsfield

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

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 Massachusetts (2026)