Best Political Science Schools Near Kalamazoo, MI (2026)

Kalamazoo, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs, with tuition ranging from $35,056 to $45,218 per year for indexed programs. Kalamazoo has a population of about 73,132. Median household income is $48,965 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning political science-related role is Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $107,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Political Science Schools to Kalamazoo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer political science programs near Kalamazoo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score โ€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo, MI 1.3 miles from Kalamazoo
  • 4 year
67.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,590
Avg net price $19,072/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 1.4 miles from Kalamazoo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Political Science Wages Near Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo is part of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area (BLS area code 28020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists $86,290 MI statewide $91,023
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $107,060 MI statewide $112,932
Management Analysts $91,170 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $96,171
Public Relations Specialists $61,660 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $65,042
Survey Researchers $101,550 MI statewide $107,120
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $53,090 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $56,002
Compliance Officers $75,890 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $80,053
Social and Community Service Managers $90,220 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $95,169

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.


Kalamazoo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 73,132 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,965 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 94.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Kalamazoo-Area Cities With Political Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Kalamazoo, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Kalamazoo. The closest is Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI (1.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Andrews University (44.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles near Kalamazoo are: Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($107,060), Survey Researchers ($101,550), Management Analysts ($91,170). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Portage instead of Kalamazoo?

Portage, MI is 5.2 miles from Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo an affordable place to study political science?

Kalamazoo’s median household income of $48,965 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kalamazoo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Kalamazoo

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.