Best Political Science Schools Near Meridian, MS (2026)

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

Meridian, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs. Meridian has a population of about 34,466. Median household income is $34,657 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning political science-related role is Management Analysts at a median $69,390 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Political Science Schools to Meridian

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

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 74.2 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,513
Avg net price $17,595/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mississippi University for Women

Columbus, MS 78.2 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,128
Avg net price $12,411/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 82.2 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Tougaloo College

Tougaloo, MS 85.8 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,724
Avg net price $17,043/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Belhaven University

Jackson, MS 86.5 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,440
Avg net price $15,676/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Millsaps College

Jackson, MS 87.1 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,848
Avg net price $26,034/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 88.8 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
27.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,060
Avg net price $23,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS 95.8 miles from Meridian
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Political Science Wages Near Meridian

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary $59,270
Management Analysts $69,390
Public Relations Specialists $59,810
Survey Researchers N/A
Paralegals and Legal Assistants $46,180
Compliance Officers $67,450
Social and Community Service Managers $67,330

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.

Meridian at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 34,466 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $34,657 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 20.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Meridian-Area Cities With Political Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited political science schools are near Meridian, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering political science programs near Meridian. The closest is East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS (33.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tougaloo College (85.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying political science-related roles in Mississippi are: Management Analysts ($69,390), Compliance Officers ($67,450), Social and Community Service Managers ($67,330). Wages for Meridian workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Laurel instead of Meridian?

Laurel, MS is 54.6 miles from Meridian 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 Meridian an affordable place to study political science?

Meridian’s median household income of $34,657 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Meridian while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Meridian

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

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 Mississippi (2026)